The Pain of Loving You
by Forlorn Maiden
Summary: It's been several years since Sokka's been to the Fire Nation. He never wanted to return, and when he arrived, he wasn't sure how to deal with someone he still was in love with. AUish [SokkaxAzula][Little bit of Taang]
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Pain of Loving You

Summary: It's been several years since Sokka's been to the Fire Nation. He never wanted to return, and when he arrived, he wasn't sure how to deal with someone he still was in love with. AU-ish

Notes: This may or may not be continued. So please don't give too much hope into it being updated. Oh and lame title I know, but I felt like naming it "Untitled" seemed weird...

**Avatar: the Last Airbender **is **not** mine.

* * *

It's been seven years since he's been to the Fire Nation. Several years since he's seen the place that brought him so much pain. He never wanted to go back, and if it weren't for his travelling campanions he wouldn't have returned. Ever. 

During those seven years he travelled with Katara, Aang, and Toph, helping the world in whatever way he could. Sometimes he would return home to visit his father and see if he needed any assistance. It was a pretty normal life. He liked it. It could be better but he wasn't going to complain.

They arrived at the Fire Nation and he already didn't want to get off of Appa. He didn't want to. He didn't want to be here, it was too agonizing. He didn't want to see _her_--to see if she was well or not; to see if she was _married_ to some asshole or not. He didn't want to see her happy while he was miserable.

He got lucky for the first day, but not so much the second. He turned around the corner and almost bumped into someone, before he could apologize he realized who it was.

"Azula."

"...Sokka."

"How's it going?" he wanted to get out of there, but he knew it was too late. He looked at her and she didn't really change much, sans her longer hair--that was not in a full topknot, but only half of it. She was still beautiful, and he was still in love with her.

"Well," she told him vaguely. "And you?"

"I could say the same," he replied just as vague, half telling her the truth in the answer.

"I'm glad to hear that," she told him. She still spoke and carried herself the same way, the same regal way that Lady Ursa; and Mai, the Consort Princess. He only knew one Fire Nation noble that allowed to show her emotions on her sleeves and that was Ty Lee.

He wanted to ask her many questions, but there was some part of him that was afraid to know. He wondered if she was eager to know about him as well.

"Mama! Mama!" Sokka looked behind him to see a little boy running past him, and leaping toward the princess. "Come on, the feast is starting."

_Mama?_

"All right then," she told the child before turning to him, "Sokka meet my son," Azula introduced the little boy. Sokka smiled, but he couldn't help wonder if the child was adopted or not. Probably not since he looked liked her. Though now he felt unbelieveable pain, since he realized that Azula had moved on with her life while he had not. Who was the lucky guy?

"Well I'll be seeing you at the feast I suppose," she told him, as she walked away with her child in her arms. His eyes followed her as she disappeared around the corner.

He knew he shouldn't have come at all.

xxxx

"How is the food?" Fire Lord Iroh asked his honored guests.

Sokka smiled, "You've got great taste," he told the old man truthfully.

"Yeah. Thank you," Aang commented. Sokka looked at Aang's plate and realized that even the non-meat portion of the feast looked delicious. Though he noticed that Toph was quiet tonight. That young woman never was quiet, especially when was Iroh around. They were friends, and in addition she always had something to say to Sokka. Granted it was a joke about him but nonetheless. He wondered if Katara and her got into a fight or something. It was obvious that Sokka wasn't the only one who noticed because Iroh interjected.

"Is something wrong?" he asked the young woman. Toph shook her head.

"No not at all. Meathead over there was right, you've got great taste."

Katara looked at Toph with understanding and concern, but Sokka could tell right away that his sister might have a clue on to what was going on. It was the same exact look that she continued giving him, because it was no secret to his little sister that her brother was still hung up on that crazy Fire princess.

It was really really annoying.

"May I ask you something?" Katara turned her head to the former general.

"Of course, anything."

"That child with Azula. Is that Zuko's child?"

Sokka soon found himself choking on his food and he had no choice but to spit it out, causing Toph to laugh for once that night. "I'm so sorry," he apologized sheepishly. He cleaned up the mess he made, and told them to continue on their conversation. He laughed for many reasons, really. The obvious one, that if the child is Zuko's then the mystery as to why the Fire Nation's royal family--for most parts was solved; in addition how would Mai feel about her husband having a child that wasn't hers; third he knew who's child it; and fourth, Zuko a father? Now that was funny. Could anyone imagine Zuko being a father? Then again...Azula was a mother.

To be serious though, would Zuko be like Ozai? They say that people usually follow the path of their parents. Then again, he forgot about Lady Ursa. But still, despite having a great mother like her Azula still turned out to be...well like her father! So did that mean Azula's parenting was similar to her father's?

"No," Iroh answered.

Ursa continued, "He is Azula's child."

Aang, Katara, and Toph dropped their chopsticks (though Sokka's was already down) and their eyes widened. Sokka remained quiet though.

"_She's_ a _mother?_" Toph asked with disbelief. To be polite about, she turned her head to Ursa, "Congratulations, we didn't know you were a grandmother."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. Everyone, including Sokka, then added their congratulations to the woman about being a grandmother, and Iroh for being a Great-Uncle.

"I wasn't aware that Azula had married," Katara said cautiously, eyeing her brother from the corner of her eye.

"Actually Azula hasn't married. We've arranged several marriages for her and she declined them. At first she was all right with it though, but somewhere along the line she became furious and changed her mind. We didn't want to force her so we dropped it," Ursa explained.

"The child is adopted?" Sokka asked finally.

"No no," she said with a small smile. Was the royal family even allowed to adopt children because of their status? Didn't they believe that they and their family were sent from above to rule? Wasn't blood everything when it came to ruling? Though Azula wasn't Heir Apparent so maybe _she_ was allowed to. "My daughter gave birth to him. Though she maybe planning on adopting soon," she laughed, "she told me her son's getting a bit lonely. And if Zuko and Mai don't have children anytime soon--the child won't have anyone to play with."

Sokka's mind screamed to ask for more information. He wanted to know the truth; he wanted to know what happened; who was the father? Was he still around? Did Azula love him? Though of course, that would be rude to bombard them with personal questions when they were nothing but friends.

xxxxxxx

When the dancing began, everyone seemed to pair off: Iroh with Ursa; Aang with Toph; Zuko with Mai; Ty Lee with Haru; Azula with her son; and him with Katara.

"I still can't believe Ty Lee and Haru," Katara commented. "I'd never thought that she would be swayed to leave you alone. I'd never thought he'd fall for her."

"Tell me about it," he laughed. Ty Lee had been infatuated with Sokka and somewhere along the line it stopped. In the back of his mind he wondered if Azula had anything to do with it.

"I'm sorry Sokka--"

"No. Don't be. So," he began as he saw Aang and Toph together, they looked liked they were bickering. "Are you gonna tell me what's going on with those two?"

"I don't really know. I have an idea though..."

"What?"

"...Well...As you must've noticed------"

"Oh yeah?! Well you're annoying too!" Aang yelled after his dance partner, following her out into the hall.

"Maybe we should go check on them--" Sokka said, as he and his sister followed after the youngest members of their family.

"What's your problem Toph?!" Aang demanded.

"You!"

"What the hell did I do this time?!"

"Guys what's going on here?" Katara asked. "It's not polite to our hosts that you guys decide to fight now and here!"

"I'm sorry Katara," Aang rubbed his neck.

"I'm outta here. Goodnight," she walked off toward the stairs.

Katara looked at Aang for an explanation but got none. Sokka sighed, those two were always in fights, what makes this any different? Tomorrow they would be fine again. That's how it was with those two. Fight and make up. The three of them returned to the dance floor and apologized to the rest of the guests and continued on what they were doing before. Sokka and Katara talked some more, and of course they avoided the topic of Azula. Though that wasn't always so easy since she was right there.

xxxxx

Toph sighed, not knowing what to do. She was angry with herself and she was angry with the Avatar, because if it weren't for Aang then she wouldn't be in this predicament; and if it weren't for her, she' also wouldn't be in this situation. She should have better self-control of herself, but she couldn't help it. She heard him come in and hesitantly take a seat next to her on the window sil.

"Toph what's really going on here?" he asked quietly demanding to know. A few years ago, he would've probably apologized as soon as he came in. However he learned long ago, Toph didn't take too kindly to 'wimps.'

"Nothing. I'm just frustrated we're here. I wanna be out in the road again--"

"You're lying," he concluded right away, his tone pushing her to tell him.

"Alright, alright! Geez," she exhaled. "Just forget about it."

In other words, she was sorry about earlier tonight.

They talked about trivial things such as the food that was served tonight; Mai and Zuko and how weird it was to see him with someone; Ty Lee and Haru and how those two seemed right and yet so wrong for each other; Azula's child and who the father could be and how her family felt about that; and Sokka's awkwardness.

Somewhere along the way though, their conversation was moved to the bed where it was more comfortable.

"So when will we be heading out again Twinkle Toes?"

"Why are you so eager to leave Toph?"

"Nothing but walls."

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad here. Well go out riding or something--or maybe we can go to their beach house."

"Are we on a vacation?" she asked him, because she wasn't aware they were having their 'mini vacations' and spending time in the Fire Nation didn't seem like a 'mini' vacation.

"Toph why don't you take it easy? Things have settled a bit for us, so we can relax can't we?"

She frowned and did not answer him. Aang smiled as he gazed upon her face. "You look really pretty tonight."

"Don't think flattery's gonna get you anywhere," she told him.

"No seriously!" he told her, causing a small smile to appear on her face. They talked some more, until it got late and Aang turned to go.

"Don't," she whispered tiredly. "Stay with here."

"Toph," he said warningly. "That's not appropriate."

"Psh posh Twinkle Toes. We aren't doing anything."

He found himself complying, unable to say no.

xxxxxxxxx

Azula, after seeing to her child and tucking him into bed--where Grandmother Ursa read him a story, the princess decided to get some fresh air on one of the balconies. There was a lot to think of, and Azula knew that she should've read her son the story this night to take her mind off those things. After all, she and her mother may have alternated reading to the child, but it was never stated which nights were hers and which were Ursa's.

However, there was no helping it now. Her mind was filled with thoughts of him and the past. It ended soon though when she heard footsteps, coming to accompany her. The two stayed silent for awhile before Sokka spoke.

"So you have a child huh?"

"Yeah. Do you?" she asked.

"No."

"A wife?"

"No."

"Girlfriend? Lover? Anything?"

"Katara, Toph, Aang, Appa, and Momo. They're enough for me."

"I suppose," she said with a smile. "Friends are forever."

"Yeah they are," he told her coldly, he wanted to add: unlike some things, but decided against it. "So I heard that you've had several arranged marriages and yet you denied them all. Did you ever marry?"

"No."

"Then...the child...?" he asked hesitantly.

"Sokka I've had lovers and forgot to be cautious. That's all," she answered casually.

"I"m surprised that your family didn't strangle this guy."

"Well they aren't like that. I'm surprised they didn't strangle _me._"

"Come on, don't say that," he told her somberly. Her family wasn't that bad, they didn't hate her so much.

"Sokka I'm surprised you came," she said, diverting the question. "I thought..."

"Yeah. Me too. Truth be told I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Aang."

"It's nice that you care for them so much."

"It's nice to that you care for your son so much."

"He's the only thing I have."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is," she said with such strong conviction.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**  
© Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Mike and Bryan and I'm not making a profit by writing this.

* * *

The Next Morning... 

"Hey big guy, do you know where your mommy is?" Sokka asked as he saw Azula's child playing around the hall outside his room with a ball in hand.

"Visiting Grandpa! She always does. I went with her but then Grandma brought me back."

"Oh thanks." He turned around and found Lady Ursa. He asked her where Azula was and if he could see her.

"Oh yes. She's at the masoleuem. I went with her earlier. I'm surprised she hasn't come back yet though."

"Do you visit him often?" he asked, forgetting himself. He was curious if the noblewoman grieved over her dead husband. Who could grieve for such an evil man?

"Not nearly as much as Azula. She visits him every morning," the woman admitted.

Apparently Azula could grieve over him.

"Such devotion. Even after his death," Ursa continued.

"Yes. It's..." _Saddening...? That she loved someone so much, and yet he used her?_ "Do you think she'll be mad if I followed her?"

Ursa smiled, "It matters not. She's been out too long. The masoleaum is that way."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was far away from what he had been told, so he searched for Aang to inform him he was going to borrow Appa. The young man couldn't be found in his room or in the gardens and no one has seen him since last night.

"Where could he be?" Katara asked.

"I dunno."

"Maybe Toph would know," Katara guessed, and the two Water siblings walked over to her room, knocking and entering (before Toph could tell them no) to find Aang with her.

In bed.

"What's going on here!?!" Katara shrieked, after closing the door behind her and Sokka, so no one would witness.

"Katara! It's not what it looks like! I swear, she and I--" Aang began, sweating and wishing to the Spirits he had woken up earlier.

"We were just talking and we fell asleep, that's all." Toph yawned.

"Aang! Toph! When we are in one room together, that's all right. But when we're each given individual rooms--then that's another story!" Katara chided.

"Aang was afraid of the dark, what can I say?" Toph smirked.

"Toph!"

"Katara we're fully clothed. And do we look _happy happy?_ I mean if we did anything, don't you think we would be happy?" Toph pointed out.

"That's not the point--"

"What do you mean it's not the point? Isn't that why we're being chastised?"

"Look, what if someone saw you guys? What if this got around?"

"Let the old ladies gossip then," she waved the water mistress off.

Sokka was amused, it certainly was an interesting morning.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lit incense filled the air, mixing in with the fresh flowers. He walked up the path to see her kneeling in front of Ozai's grave, "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" she demanded not too kindly.

"I came to see if you were all right," he answered with indifference.

Azula frowned. The reason she hadn't returned to palace yet was because she had been avoiding him. Couldn't he take a hint?

"So..."

"Sokka I don't think my father would be too pleased if you were here. I do not defile your mother or moon princess so I'd appreciate it if you did the same with my family."

"Fine," he bit out. Were all princesses such trouble? However Yue wasn't this difficult. Azula, on the other hand, was unbelievable. "I'll wait for you outside the gate."

He wasn't leaving because of Ozai, he could care less about the deceased Fire Lord, but _she_ wanted him out of there so he complied. Still to this day, _anything_ for her.

Azula knew that there was no use. She would eventually have to go face him. She sighed and asked for her father for forgiveness.

xzxxx

Sokka saw her walk out of the resting place of her family. It was hard to tell what the woman was really thinking about. When she passed him, he walked along side her. It was quiet for awhile, and Sokka always hated the quiet when he was with someone. It was so awkward when things were like that. It was the loudest thing he's ever heard: two people with a lot of tension between them, not talking.

"Azula," he began.

"What?" she said tersely.

"I'm surprised you didn't name your child after him."

"I doubt my father would've wanted me to."

"Why?"

Silence...

"Okay so why not your Grandfather? You know, carry on the name of Azulon."

"I thought about it."

"But?"

"Nothing."

Silence.

"So you visit him everyday, rain or shine?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah. It's the least I could do for failing him," she replied nonchanlantly.

"Azula you didn't---"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You know I don't know how you could see yourself as failing your father. I mean were the perfect machine for him." He bit out bitterly.

"What?" she glared at him. _Machine?!_

"You threw away everything for him---you're his perfect child. You can't feel or anything," he explained rather harshly.

"Look if this was about what happened years ago, remember you're the one who left!"

"You act like this is _my_ fault! You're the one who used us," he yelled back at her.

"Like you wouldn't have done the same thing. Can you honestly tell me you haven't decieved someone to defeat the Fire Nation?" she hissed, seeing through his soul. He opened his mouth to argue with her, and tell her she was wrong--that he had never done such a thing, but a memory from long ago struck him before he could finish his sentence.

"_Mortals are so predictable...And such terrible liars...You betrayed my trust. From the beginning you intended to misuse this knowledge for evil purposes."_

He remembered calling out to the Spirit that guarded the library, "_You don't understand. If anyone's evil, it's the Fire Nation. You saw what they did to you library. They're destructive and dangerous. We need this information." _

"Fine," he bit. "But toying with someone's emotions--"

"You should've known better Sokka. How could you not expect it when you knew I was Fire Nation?"

_"If anyone's__** evil**__, it's the __**Fire Nation**__...They're __**destuctive**__ and __**dangerous**_."

"I thought you were different."

"No you didn't," she laughed cruelly. "You hated me. But then somewhere along the way you thought I could _change."_

"Yeah. Maybe I did," he told her with as much resentment. _I fell in love, and I thought you felt the same way._

"I'm the embodiment of the perfect Fire Nation soldier, and yet you thought that? You really are foolish," she laughed.

"It takes one to know one," he retorted wtih a cruel smirk. "You'd be lying to yourself if you said you hadn't felt the same. I've never seen you hesitate when we fought, except for that one time."

"What can I say? I'm a _great_ actress."

"Yeah you are a great liar," he told her. "Like right now."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Years ago, Azula had decided to take the Avatar from the inside. In doing so, she had to be part of his team and therefore fabricated a story about how her father had disowned her and such. After all she couldn't trust anyone else to do it. The Avatar and his friends, though, didn't buy it for one second at all. How could they when she was the villaness of their story? Of course in Azula's story, she and her nation were the heroes and the Avatar and his friends were the villains. However when they saw that her face was on Wanted Posters all over the place, they finally let her in.

She had been climbing a tree to retrieve some fruits-- the normal way to not attract attention to herself, when she noticed the Boomerang Boy walk around. He had been very reluctant to trust her, and stayed as far away from her as possible--while looking out for any wrong move she made so he could have something against her. She needed his trust, for her plan to be full proofed. He didn't seem like the type to trust someone suddenly--smart--but it was bad for her, so she decided she would have to ease him in.

She feigned having slipped from a branch and landed on him. She brought her head to meet his eyes and apologized. She looked away, "I'm sorry...being acrobatic was never really my thing..."

"Uh..." he said dumbfoundedly. "It's all right."

They both realized how close they were to each other and slowly moved away. "Sorry," he mumbled to her.

"No. Thanks for catching me," she returned quietly. Though she would never admit it, that day was the day she got a really good look at the lad and realized why Ty Lee called him, cutie.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Fire Nation princess was infuriated at the Boomerang Boy--though she guessed he would be Boomerang _Man_ now---for coming into her life and ruining everything. She was doing just _fine_ without him, she was as happy as she could get--content with her and her son, but then he just had to come with the Avatar and tear it all up. She hated her family for inviting the Avatar--she hated Sokka for being friends with the Avatar--she hated how he could come back and act like he still knew her!

She wasn't the same Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation; she wasn't the same Azula he left behind; and who the hell did he think he was, for believing he knew her still? How dare he think that he could still read her like an open book, when he couldn't _possibly_ know what was going on in her mind! If she could have, she could would've strangled him.

Little did she know, Sokka was having difficulties of his own. He was angry for going with his family into the Fire Nation; he was angry that he thought that he could handle it; he was angry at Azula for making it seem like it was _his_ fault when he did nothing wrong; and he was angry that she had a child--that she had moved on with her life, while he was still pining for her. It wasn't fair!

If he only knew the man who bedded her and gave her a child, he would've hunted him down and castrated him--if he knew all the men who bedded her, he would've castrated them all. Who did they think they were to touch her?! In addition, what in blazes did Azula think she was doing taking in random lovers?!

He was so angry with her!

Beautiful vixen, after all these years she still had it.

Sokka's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock at his door. He walked over to the gigantic door and opened it to see Ty Lee.

"Oh...uh...hello," he said awkardly to the woman who used to call him 'cutie' and say weird things like how they fought, seemed liked they were dancing together. Sokka wondered if Haru knew about that.

"Hey," she said with a smile.

"May I help you?" Sokka asked awkwardly.

"I was wondering if you'd seen Azula--I heard that you were the last person with her."

"I haven't seen her for a couple of hours now," he answered. "Is everything all right?"

"Ty Lee," Mai called.

The acrobat turned her head, "She's not with him!"

Sokka looked at her, "Is Azula missing?"

"Yeah," Ty Lee sighed. "She stopped doing this years ago, but it seemed old habits are hard to break."

"How about the kid?"

"Oh he's not here."

"What?" Sokka asked incrediously.

"Oh don't worry. He's probably with his mother," Ty Lee answered.

"Probably?" Sokka questioned, weren't they worried for the boy?

"Don't worry. Azula would never leave her son like that---I mean there was no note or anything. So I'm guessing she's with him."

"What if they were kidnapped?!" Sokka yelled.

Ty Lee laughed, "You're so funny."

"No seriously," Sokka said.

"Without a ransom note?" Mai interjected, finally joining them.

"Hey Azula's made some enemies--and it wasn't because she's the Fire Nation Princess--because they could've kidnapped you for that."

"Now why would they kidnap _her_ when Lady Ursa and Mai's here? They're much easier targets," Ty Lee looked at Mai, "Sorry."

"All right, someone's mad at her for her past actions. I mean she did do a lot of damage--"

"She still can," Mai told him. "I honestly doubt she's in trouble. We just wanted to speak with her." Mai turned to leave, and Ty Lee followed bidding Sokka goodbye.

"Don't worry about her," she called back.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Open up," Aang laughed, holding out his chopsticks getting Toph to eat.

"I'm not a child Aang," Toph growled.

"But you're not eating," he groaned. "That's not good."

"I'm not hungry!" she yelled. .

"...Is...it ...that time...?" Aang asked nervously, only to be hit instantly.

"How can you be so crude to ask that!? Besides does every girl need that excuse to be pissed off!?! And did you know most girls are prissy the week _before_ they're going through their cycle--and half during and some _after_! Some cases are all! So maybe you should think before asking cuz it may or may not be--"

"Okay! I'm sorry!" Aang told her, trying to calm her down. He didn't want the guards to come, wondering if the Avatar was being attacked or if there was a battle going on. They fought often, but lately it was constant.

"Don't take your advice from Sokka next time," Toph told him, walking away from him.

"Toph seriously what's wrong...?" he called after her.

She didn't answer.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"We've been looking all over for you. You could have left a note or something," he told her.

"Why? It's not like it matters."

"It does! You are Heiress Presumptive and you can't just go in and out of places like this," he reminded her.

"Leave me be, brother, I am tired. Tai-shan needed to have anyways. So I came here," she told him.

"Here of all places. You're becoming predictable. Ember Island, this should be the first place we look next time you go and do this."

"What do you care?"

"I don't care. I care for my nephew," he replied.

She laughed, "Why don't you and Mai make a child of your own Zuzu? After all, if you have a child--I will no longer be Heir Presumptive."

"You want to leave the Fire Nation?" If she is no longer Heiress Presumptive, she would no longer have a reason to stay in the Fire Nation--her child and her would be free from that chain. However Azula is not the type to do such a thing.

"What if I do?"

"I wouldn't allow it."

"Why?"

"You're planning to overthrow me, aren't you?" he said jokingly.

"I could have done that a long time ago, my dear," she replied back, laughing.

"You have to return back to the palace. You have to be there. You remember that representatives from the Northern Water Tribe--"

"I know."

* * *

Several days later... 

"_Whore,"_ some would say to a woman who gave birth to a child without a husband. Unfortunately the child would be punished as well by being called awful names. Admittedly, Azula was once one of them. However when she gave birth to Tai-shan that all changed. She continued to hold her head up high because no one would degrade her for a choice she decided to make. To this day, she did not regret what she did—she didn't regret having her son. She understood now, there were circumstances that couldn't be avoided.

She wouldn't allow anyone to demean her son as well, because _no one_ should be punished in _any way_ (verbally or physically) for the choice of their parents. If they had a problem with Tai-shan being an 'illegitimate' child, then they would have to take it up with her.

"Don't you dare slump, my child. You will carry yourself proudly—because you are a child of Agni. You have royal blood in you, don't forget that." Azula told the little boy, as she prepared him for tonight.

"Yes Mama," he replied respectfully. When she was finished, he bowed to her. It wasn't the first time she told him this, and it certainly would not be the last. He needed to know---it needed to be embedded in his mind and heart that he was special; that whatever those _imbeciles _thought were nothing.

"I have to wonder why you seem especially nervous tonight Azula," Ursa said entering her daughter's chamber. Azula only glared at her and told her son to leave and go to his Aunt Ty Lee or Aunt Mai---or even Uncle Zuko (as long as it was one of them). Iroh couldn't be bothered tonight, even though the Fire Lord would drop everything he had for the child.

"What of it Mother?" she asked, walking to her mirror and tying her hair up to it's usual topknot.

"Is there a reason?"

"Nonsense, why would I be nervous?" she answered truthfully. She despised that her mother would think that she knew her so well. Lady Ursa did _not _have a daughter, she only had a son after all.

* * *

"Daughter why is your heart so distant toward me?" 

"Why is your heart so cold toward me?" the junior princess bit out harshly.

Ursa was startled by her daughter's comment and reached over to touch her hand, only to have Azula pull away her hand. The senior princess couldn't help but wonder if Azula was acting like this due to her hormonal mood swings from pregnancy, or if she was truly angry. "I don't understand Azula. All I've ever done is try to help you--"

"Since you got back," she corrected her mother. "You cared nothing for me before you left."

Ursa looked at her second born—her youngest child with sad eyes. "I apologize that you saw it that way. I never meant--"

"It doesn't matter. What's done is done." Azula got up, holding her bulging stomach and left her mother to tea.

Azula wasn't too forgiving.

* * *

"Presenting Her Highness, Dowager Princess Ursa; Presenting Her Highness, Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation and her son, Tai-shan, Prince of the Fire Nation." 

"_What?"_

"_She has a child?"_

"_So rumors are true."_

"_Who could be the father?"_

"_Her a mother? Oh the poor child, what a nightmare it must be."_

Azula wanted to shut them up, all these whispered comments bombarded her and she wanted nothing more but to shut them out. The audacity they had to speak of her this way! She had to hold the urge to burn them to a crisp, slowly.

"Hahn...?"

"Azula...?"

"_Princess_ Azula," she corrected him. "It's been so long."

"Yes it has been," he grinned at her.

* * *

A/N: There wasn't suppose to be so much focus on Azula and having a child out of wedlock, but a friend of mine said something while we were watching a movie, and I was sorta offended by it so I guess this was my way of taking it out. Please don't think I have anything against single mothers or people who have children out of wedlock, because I don't. I doubt she does either, but it's how it was said and how I received it. 

I got the nightmare comment from Grey DeLisle (va for Azula) in the magazine.


	3. Chapter 3

Sokka observed Hahn and Azula converse with each other, and he found himself in wonder. What were they doing talking? Did they know each other?

There had been a time when Sokka thought Azula and Hahn were made for each other, that they deserved each other---but he knew, no woman no matter how "evil" they were deserved to be with Hahn. He was awful. So what were they doing being so close like that?

His nostril flared, and he glared at Hahn with such intensity that if looks could kill, Hahn would be dead. He walked over and asked, "Hey what's going on here?"

"Soh-ka...?" Hahn stared in confusion.

"_Sah_-ka," Sokka corrected with a frown.

"You two know each other?" Azula asked as she grabbed a drink from one of the servants passing by with a full tray of them.

"Yeah, we met during the invasion at the North Pole, years ago." Sokka looked at Azula, his eyes asking the same thing with her.

"Azula for old times sake, let's dance," Hahn asked the princess, holding out his hand for her to accept.

"Princess Azula?" a servant bowed. "The Prince wishes to see you, Your Highness."

"Very well," she replied. "I'm afraid I have to go gentlemen."

Sokka watched her walk off, and then turned to the man who had once been engaged to the Water Princess. "You know her?"

"Yes I know her. I know her very _very_ well," Hahn chuckled and Sokka felt sick, suddenly. "So who's the husband?"

"Husband?" Sokka looked at him.

"Yeah her husband, you know? The father of that boy?"

"Azula's not married, never has been," he explained, though Sokka didn't know why he was doing so to him of all people.

"Oh? Where's the father then?"

"How would I know? From what I heard he's not around, and the woman's so secretive," Sokka answered. "So when did you meet Azula?"

"Eh several years ago, at the Northern Tribe. She was the representative for the Fire Nation for the whole treaty ordeal. So no one knows who's the father?"

"I doubt it. Why are you so interested?"

"I'm not."

xxxxxxxx

"What is it Zuko?" Azula questioned her brother as she approached him. What could he possibly want of her now?

"What does Hahn want?" Zuko demanded of his sister.

Azula rolled her eyes, "You need to leave me alone dear brother."

"I would if it weren't for Tai Shan," he replied.

"Azula, Zuko enough. This isn't the place for this," Ursa intervened. "Besides Zuko you should be polite to Hahn, he is your guest. He needs to feel welcomed in the Fire Nation."

"But he's not, Mother," Zuko replied with a frown. Mai joined her husband, and handed him a drink.

"Zuko," Ursa chided. Azula just rolled her eyes, she couldn't put up with them anymore. She didn't need to be looked after, she didn't need them to protect her. She wasn't some damsel in distress that needed saving from anyone.

Hahn. Sokka. She could take care of them on her own.

xxxxxxxxx

Hahn didn't answer, and Sokka grabbed him out of the room, not caring if anyone was giving them strange looks. "What's going on here?"

"None of your business," Hahn snorted. "This is between me and her."

"You had a relationship with Azula, didn't you?"

"I wouldn't call one night a relationship," Hahn laughed. Sokka's eyes darkened, and he clenched his jaw. This bastard had touched Azula?!

"You mean that boy is yours?!" he hissed harshly. His eyes were blazing with contempt and disgust.

"I don't know. Maybe, I mean the child _could_ be mine."

"Do you not even care?!" Sokka felt like steam was coming out of his ears and nose, and his teeth scraped against one another. The man had to bite on his own lip, drawing blood, to keep himself from screaming; he clenched his fists trying so hard to resist at the temptation to punch him.

"Not really. The woman's rich. She's well-provided for and surely, she has enough money for the both of them."

"That's not the point."

"Hey, she ain't my wife--I don't have to do _anything_. But if we were married--arranged or not--_maybe_ I'd do something about it."

Sokka lost control and found himself pouncing on the jackass, "You're still the same jerk, Hahn!"

They tackled and pulled, fighting with one another. They brought attention to themselves, gathering a crowd toward them.

"...What's going on here?"

"I don't know..."

"Isn't that Sokka?"

"And Hahn...?"

"What's going on here?!" Zuko walked over to see the two Water Tribe men attempting to kill each other. He called over the guards to separate the two, and Hahn found himself shamed for representing the Northern Water Tribe badly.

The men bowed and apologized for the disruption, before being escorted away to their own rooms.

xxxxxxxx

"Sokka what did you do?" Azula asked as she entered his chamber. "Couldn't you two leave old rivalries for one night?"

"_Old rivalries?_" he growled.

"Well wasn't it?" she demanded.

"You _slept_ with him!!"

She looked at him with eyes that just realized something, and then she became impassive.

"He told me! When you went to the Northern Water Tribe years ago, for the treaty. You slept with him!" Sokka yelled. "What's wrong Azula? You're finally caught." He looked at her with sad eyes and continued, "Were you so angry at me...were you _so_ angry at me for leaving you, that you slept with him? How could you?!"

Azula looked at him with cold eyes, "What's the matter Sokka? Hit too close to something special? Does it bug you that two of the princess you loved, Hahn was able to have?"

"You're low."

"You'd know," Azula replied turning away from him, walking out the door.

xxxxxxx

Despair clung to him.

Hahn was the father.

Damn it, Hahn was the father!

How could she? She knew how he felt about the jerk. She knew the story--so how could she? Why?

Because you left her.

Was that why? Had she wanted revenge?

You abandoned her. Why wouldn't she?

That wasn't fair. She had betrayed him. How could she think that by him leaving her, she had a right to vengeance?

She doesn't.

He knew he had no right to confront her, especially the way he did.

xxxxxxx

"Is Sokka gonna be all right?" Aang asked the group.

"I don't know..." Katara answered, sadly. "I can't help but wonder if there's more to this fight with Hahn than Princess Yue."

"Maybe it's Princess Azula," Toph suggested as she fed Momo berries on Appa.

"Should we ask?" Aang wondered.

"Who?" Toph questioned.

"Hey Ty Lee!" Katara waved to the acrobat. It was true that they didn't really get along before, but Haru was Katara's friend--they had to be civil to each other, at the least. Besides the "circus freak" wasn't too bad, when she's not the enemy. "Do you know where Azula is?"

"I think she's with Hahn," she replied with a smile.

"...What?"

"Why?" Toph arched her eyebrow, in bewilderment.

"...I have to go," she waved goodbye and walked over to where Haru was. Little did she knew, Toph heard what she told him. "Thanks for saving me."

Haru kissed her, "What do you mean?"

Toph faced the group, "Something's definitely goin' on here."

* * *

A/N: I must be doing something wrong here. I get a lot of email saying they put this on their fav list. So...how come my reviews are lacking? I want to know how I can improve or what, so please send some feedback! 


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Long long time huh? I'm sorry about the wait. I'm really better at oneshots than multi-chaptered fanfictions.

* * *

"Princess," the servant bowed as Azula entered the garden where her son was playing. "Hahn of the Northern Water Tribe demands to see you." 

Azula arched a brow, "Demands?"

"Yes Your Highness," the servant answered nervously. "He says it's urgent that he speaks with you."

Azula sighed glancing at her son, before turning around to leave, "Fine. Where is he?"

* * *

It had been a long night for Sokka. He couldn't sleep, he kept tossing and turning. He ate breakfast quickly to avoid the incessant questions coming from his friends. He didn't want to tell them just yet, I mean what was he suppose to say? And besides, they wouldn't really care would they? They would just worry over him, and he didn't need that. He didn't want them to worry or feel sorry for him. 

He walked over the gardens where he saw Tai Shan playing near the pond. "Hey kiddo, you're up early."

Sokka noticed that everyone in this place was up early. Tai Shan smiled and bowed politely to the elder man, "Good morning sir. Do you care to play?"

"Uh sure," Sokka replied, "but on one condition. Drop the formalities, you can just call me Sokka."

The boy looked at him with a shocked expression and said, "I can't do that. It's not..."

"What is it?" Sokka asked.

"My family would never approve," he answered. Even after the war, it would seem that the Fire Nation still had strict rules. He remembered when Aang had told him about his schooling in the Fire Nation, and how there were so many rules. He wondered if that still went on. At least though, they were now allowed to dance.

Sokka couldn't very well tell the boy to call him, _uncle_ because they weren't on that familiar terms. Then an idea popped into his head, "But you're a prince right? You can do anything you wish."

The boy blinked as if asking him, _have you met my mother? _"I'll stick to Mister, is that okay?" the boy asked hesitantly.

"All right Your Highness," Sokka bowed. "Now let's play."

Meanwhile Azula had just returned from her meeting with Hahn and witnessed her son, playing with Sokka. They were getting along splendidly, which was strange since Tai Shan didn't get along too well with others his age. A small smile graced her lips as she wondered what could have been.

They could have been a family, in another place and time, where Sokka could've been her husband and Tai Shan was their son together. However she played him and his friends like fools and they would never forgive her; and she doesn't think she could get over her father's demise at their hands. Everything was against them from the very beginning.

If someone had come up to her years ago and would've said that she and some Water Tribe warrior would be star-crossed lovers, she would've laughed her head off and called them insane.

The princess then recalled her conversation with Hahn, earlier that morning.

"_Azula that night at the North Pole," he began. _

"_You have no need to obligate yourself to me Hahn, we're fine," she told him. _

She brought her attention again to her son, and she didn't have the heart to tear him away from his time with Sokka. He barely had fun with strangers, so she saw no reason to interrupt. She walked away to inform Tai Shan's governess that Tai Shan wouldn't be attending lessons today.

* * *

Sokka couldn't believe that the sweet boy in front of him was Hahn's; and he couldn't believe that he was growing really fond of him as well. How could someone so kind be the spawn of such a jackass? Then again, how could someone as smart as Azula find Hahn attractive enough to sleep with him? 

"That's sweet," someone called from behind him. He turned around to find Ty Lee standing there with a smile on her face.

"Aunt Ty Lee!" the prince beamed, running toward her to embrace her.

"Hey," she said warmly, "Did you have fun with Sokka?"

"Mm-hm," he nodded.

Ty Lee chuckled, "Well that's good. Now your Aunt Mai and Uncle Zuko asks to see."

"Am I in trouble?" he wondered.

"No no," she told comfortingly. "Though your great-uncle did say something about feeling neglected..."

"Oh no!" he turned around, "Excuse me Mister Sokka, see you later Aunt Ty Lee!" The boy dashed inside the palace.

Sokka gave her a look and she shrugged. "What? He played with you all day that Uncle Iroh does feel neglected."

"I didn't mean to..."

Ty Lee stared at the sky ignoring him, for it wasn't a big deal that the Fire Lord was neglected for just a day. "It's hard isn't it? Who could blame you? How could you not love Azula's child?"

Sokka remained silent.

"If it makes you feel better that Hahn guy is leaving tomorrow."

"They're leaving so soon," Sokka commented. "Are you and Haru leaving as well?"

"No I think we'll stay for awhile longer," Ty Lee answered.

"Do you plan on settling here?"

"I don't know...it's either here or the Earth Kingdom."

* * *

"Sokka there you are!" Katara greeted her brother as she saw him enter the room that they were currently occupying for conversation's sake. "You didn't have lunch with us, so I was worried about you." 

"Sorry," he told them.

"You missed out going to the beach," Toph told him. "Did you play with Tai Shan all day?"

"Yeah I did," he answered.

Aang smiled, "I hope you had fun."

"So what's going on with you and Azula and the child?" Katara asked, straight to the point. "You left us hanging last night, I think your friends deserve to know."

He sighed, exasperated. "Tai Shan is Azula's son with Hahn."

Katara looked at him with shocked eyes. Fury consumed Katara, and she wanted to strangle Azula with all the strength she had. It was bad enough she hurt them, when she deceived them into believing they became friends; but to hurt Sokka? Now finding out that she hurt him more, was more than she could handle.

Aang felt sorry for the guy, but he didn't know what to say or what to do, to help Sokka. While Toph appeared nonchalant. "Hahn?" she asked, "The same Hahn that you guys met in the North Pole?"

"Yeah," Sokka replied. "I'm so angry at her, I don't know what to do. I know I had no claim on Azula...I never did...but why did it have to him?"

He was hurt, and his friends didn't know what to do.

* * *

"Tai Shan," Zuko began, "next year do you wish to attend the Fire Nation Academy?" 

"Oh no! School...I forgot...Mama's gonna--"

"Don't worry," Ursa laughed, "your mother knew and she's informed your teacher."

"She's not mad I missed...?"

"No darling. Why would she?" Ursa told her grandchild.

"Because Mama says an education is very important."

"It's all right to miss one day," Mai told him with a smile. "Besides you're a good student, I'm sure you can catch up later."

"Fire Nation Academy?" Tai Shan asked, getting back to the subject since it was apparent his family didn't want him to worry. "Did I do something wrong Uncle Zuko?"

"No. We just think it's time that you join children your age in school. Don't you want to make friends?" Zuko told his nephew.

"No," Tai Shan told his uncle. "I don't like kids my age. They're mean to me."

Ursa's disposition changed to a sad one, and she beckoned her grandson to come to her. She embraced him lovingly, "I'm sure not all of them are like that Tai Shan."

"Are you gonna force me to go?"

Ursa looked at her son and daughter-in-law, "That's up to your mother." She got up and left, "Now let's go to Uncle Iroh. He's been looking for you all day."

Zuko looked puzzled, "I'm worried about him."

"Why?" Mai asked.

"He's too anti-social like his mother. He needs to get out more," Zuko told his wife. Mai smiled and got up from her chair, walking over to him.

She kissed him, "I think it's a family trait. If I remember correctly you and your sister share that same trait of being anti-social."

He laughed, "So what's your excuse? You were anti-social before you had a friend and boyfriend that was, and no one in your family is anti-social."

"I'm the odd one in the family as are you, which is why I think we get along so well."

Zuko wrapped his arms around her, "Yeah I think so." He leaned down and kissed her again.

* * *

"Uncle Iroh!" Tai Shan smiled, running toward the Fire Lord. "I'm so so so sorry! Please don't be mad!" 

"Me mad at you? Never!" the old man laughed as he took the boy in his arms. "Were you spending the day with Grandmother Ursa?"

"No," the aging woman answered smiling. "He was with Sokka."

* * *

"You have a lot of nerve," Katara hissed at the Fire Princess. "How could you do that to Sokka?!" 

"He must've told you then," Azula smirked as she sipped her tea, not bothering to play innocent with the waterbending master.

"You're a horrible person. You always were and you always will be!"

Azula sighed, aggravated, "You know you and your brother are impossible Katara. What's done is done. You can't change what's been done and you know what? I will not apologize!"

"It's bad enough you left Sokka bleeding! But just when he's finally closed the wound, you reopen it?!"

"How dare you? You're the ones who came here to _my _home, and you accuse me of hurting him? I didn't seek him out and flaunted that I had a child with Hahn. I was living a peaceful life here in the Fire Nation and you just had to come along, didn't you?! If anyone's to blame, it's him for reopening his wound again. It's all of you!"

"_What?!?"_

"What the hell is this really about Katara? It's no longer your brother, so just spit it out!" Azula demanded.

"It's you that I have a problem with!" Katara yelled just as Aang entered the room.

"Guys you're all being so loud! What's going on here?" Aang asked the girls as he entered Azula's chambers.

"I don't know. Ask your friend," Azula hissed. "What do you want Avatar?"

"Katara can you leave me alone with Princess Azula?" the young man asked politely. Katara glared at Azula and told her this was far from over, and then left.

"Azula..."

"Aang..." his name sounded so foreign on her lips, even when they were traveling companions.

* * *

She was drinking again, and Aang wondered why she resorted to drinking lately. He didn't want her getting dependent on such a vile drink, so he reached for her bottle and drained it, pouring it onto the grass. "Toph lately you've been acting really really strange. Are you okay?" 

She laughed as she wiped some sake from her chin, "Of course I am Twinkle Toes."

"You know, if all of you want to leave the Fire Nation so badly then we should go tomorrow. I thought we ought to stay here for a couple weeks to oversee how the Fire Nation's doing since the war ended...but if all of you are so bothered by it..."

"The only person bothered by it is Sokka," Toph replied with a snort.

"I just saw Katara and Azula at each others throats," he told her. "And you..."

Toph got up and walked over to the middle of the garden and faced the sky as she lied down. He followed shortly afterwards, lying next to her. He held her hand as he asked, "Have you even spoken to Azula since we arrived?"

"No," Toph frowned.

"Is she the reason you've been acting so strange lately?" Aang asked her. Toph and Azula had gotten along pretty well back then. The earthbending master had taken quite a liking to the princess, and their sarcastic personalities meshed well. Azula certainly got along with Toph more than she did with Katara; and it hurt all of them when they realized Azula's treachery. Aang guessed that Toph wasn't over it, but who could blame her? They had been close.

"That's only half of it," she answered, as she curled up closer to him. She snuggled her face against his arm, "Let's not talk about this right now. Okay Twinkle Toes?"

"Whatever you say," Aang replied, as he gazed at the stars above.

* * *

Sokka poured his heart out to her, venting his anger and frustration at the earthbender, "I don't know what to do..." 

"Then get over it," Toph told the older man, causing him to frown. Why did he bother going to her for advice, sometimes, he wondered. _Because she'll tell you how it is, straight up, that's why. _

"I can't," Sokka told her. "Because it's _Hahn's _child; and even if it weren't...I can't let it go. Whoever the father is, is a moron for leaving. I don't like the fact that Azula has a child with some other guy--"

"--that isn't you; you don't like the fact that she had an intimate relationship with a guy; you don't like the fact that _you're_ not the man in her life," the younger woman finished for him, much to Sokka's annoyance. Unfortunately for him, she continued, "Look Sokka. It hurts like hell: having the woman you're still hung over after all these years giving birth to the child of your most hated rival. It hurts like hell like you fell in love with two women--two princesses, but for some reason Hahn got something from them that you couldn't; whether it be her hand in marriage or child. It hurts like hell that you and her broke up because of her deception, which could've led her to do the things she did. But what are you gonna do? You can't go back in time and change all of that."

"Toph," he began. "I know. But it doesn't make the pain any less."

"I know," she said sadly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But tell me, after finding out what you've just found out. Do you still love her?"

"You know I really hated her," Sokka explained. "Sometimes I still hate her for driving me insane, but do I still love her after this?"

"I think that's just what I said," Toph told him, sounding a lot like Azula.

"Yeah I do. Always," he answered.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday vacation. 

I really really really don't like some assets in this chapter, but I don't know how to change it. I feel Azula's OOC but after watching "The Beach" I don't know how to write her anymore. There hasn't been a fic, that I've read at least, that meshes her typical personality and her relaxed/awkward personality so I don't know how to do it myself.

The next chapter is pretty much completed...however I may add a little bit more.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Avatar is not mine.

* * *

_"You know," the young lady said, "you didn't have to do this. What all of you did earlier was more than enough." She hadn't expected them to throw a party with just the five of them, for her. _

_"I know you're probably used to fancy dinners and stuff..."_

_"Sokka," she cupped his face, "don't. I loved it. Thank you." _

_"Well everyone deserves to have their birthday celebrated, and now you're fifteen like me." He laughed, "Now if you see a shooting star, don't forget to make a wish." _

_Azula layed her head on his shoulder and smiled. "I never was able to enjoy the stars like this." _

_"If we stay up all night, we can see the sunrise." The young man knew she loved the sunrise, and no doubt she always saw it when she joined their group, considering she was always the first to rise and waited for everyone else to get up. She must've done something to keep herself occupied while waiting for everyone to wake. _

_The exiled princess laughed, "You? Stay up until sunrise? Yeah right. I'd like to see that Sokka of the Water Tribe." _

_"You don't think I can do it?"_

_"No," she answered with a smile. _

_"I'll prove you wrong." _

_"Oh yeah?" _

_"Yeah," he answered as he leaned down and kissed her, and she gladly returned it with fervor. _

* * *

A widow knelt down in front of her late husband's grave, she lit candles and incense and afterwards she prayed. Their daughter had been there earlier, doing the same thing. Ursa brought her head up, speaking to his remains. "I don't understand," she told him. "She is so much like you in many ways, and yet she's not. She's very prideful like you were, but she's also very giving—something you never were. She devoted herself to you in life, and even in death she devotes herself to you. Even after finding love with a wonderful man, all those years ago, she forsook it for you." 

She sighed sadly, "Tell me Ozai, would you have done the same for her? Would you have given everything up, to make your favorite child; youngest child; and only daughter happy?"

The dowager cried, already knowing the answer she would have gotten from him if he could reply.

* * *

"Azula don't you think it's time for Tai Shan to attend the Fire Nation Academy?" Zuko asked his sister. 

"Why are you pushing my son to attend school? He's well educated here," she stated truthfully. "He's very intelligent and he's fairing well, why change that?"

"Because he's not social," Zuko replied. "At parties he's doesn't converse with children his age--"

"Of his own choosing," the princess corrected. "It's not like he's incapable of making friends--"

"Azula," Zuko began, "we're just telling you the facts. He's a prince of the Fire Nation and he needs to learn how to be social to help him the future for court life."

Azula agreed, "But then what am I to do while he's at school?" She was not ready to let go.

Ty Lee smiled, "Aww I'm sure you'll be fine Azula. You still have us."

She looked at them as if they were ridiculous, "Ty Lee by summer's end I bet you'll be on the road again; and there's only so much more I can take of Mai and Zuko being all lovey dovey."

Ty Lee laughed. Mai looked at her sister-in-law, "Why don't you get more involved with court? You used to love that."

"Maybe," Azula considered.

"My what's everyone doing here?" Uncle Iroh greeted them as he entered. "Shouldn't most of you have things to take care of?"

"Like what?" Zuko asked.

"Like saying goodbye to the representative of the Northern Water Tribe. The Avatar and his friends have all ready said their farewells, why isn't my heir doing the same?"

Zuko looked down, "I'm sorry Uncle."

"We forgot that's all," Azula answered the old man. They all got up from their seats and followed the Fire Lord.

* * *

"So Haru," Sokka began, "when you heading out?" 

"Ty Lee would like to stay awhile longer," the man answered. "How about you guys?"

"We'll be here for awhile longer as well," Aang answered for Sokka.

"Remind us again Haru. How did you and Ty Lee get together?" Toph laughed.

Katara frowned though because she was still curious on how sweet Haru fell in love with Ty Lee-- "the circus freak" girl who was a loyal follow of Princess Azula. It was all very odd to her.

"And then you built that sculpture of her and that was the beginning of you two..." Aang continued on, and they all shared more laughs and stories, catching up on old times.

Some time during their conversation, Aang's head floated back to yesterday when he spoke with Azula. He debated about telling Sokka what he knew.

* * *

"May I speak with you?" Aang asked the princess. What was the woman supposed to say? No? The Avatar may be peaceful and kind, but since Toph became his teacher and friend, he learned how to stand up for himself; and when and if he wanted something, he made sure he got it. Blast the earthbender, for if it weren't for her, she could've probably said no to the bald headed monk and he would've been on his way. 

Her eyes drifted to the table and chair, silently telling him to sit down. "Do I have a choice?" it was hardly a question. She sat down as he did. "Tea?"

"No thank you," he told her politely.

"It's not poison," she retorted with a grin. The young man smiled and shook his head, conveying that he didn't think it was poisoned. "All right Avatar Aang make this quick. Right to the point."

"That was my intention," he told her bluntly. "I know it's been a long time since we've really spoken. And you're quite good at hiding." After all, no one really knew that the Princess Azula of the Fire Nation had a son; and she was barely active in politics that didn't involve the Fire Nation. For these past years, she was in the shadows. "And you're still quite a great liar," the Avatar continued.

"Excuse me?" she glared at him. They were all still holding grudges at what she did to them.

"But we've improved at telling lies and half-truths apart," he said.

"'We'?"

"Katara, Toph, and I. Sokka would see it too, if he weren't so blinded by you."

"And how is he blinded by me?" she resisted the urge to growl at the younger man.

"Your relationship with Sokka, was more than your relationship with me and the girls." Aang stared at her right in the eye, "You're low Azula, but even someone like you must have morals."

Azula laughed, "_**I **_don't have morals? Have you forgotten that I tore your best friend's heart apart without mercy? Have you forgotten that I am Ozai's daughter?"

"And you're also Princess Ursa's daughter," Aang reminded her. He looked behind her, where a photo of Tai Shan stood. "Sokka may not be the father; but Hahn's not the father either."

Azula became furious, "Leave Avatar Aang."

"No," Aang told her. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me. If you've forgotten Azula you were wanted by the Earth King for threatening to kill him and overthrew him and for conspiring with a criminal. The only reason you're not dead is because of me."

This wasn't like Aang at all. "Toph's gotten to you, hasn't she?" the princess asked, since this was more her technique than Aang's. "So you're saying that if I don't tell you what you want to hear, you're going to have me killed?"

"No. But you owe me."

* * *

_"Who are you?" some snotty nosed brat demanded. _

_"This is Prince Tai Shan," the girl informed the others. "He's Princess Azula's son." _

_The boy arched his left brow, "Oh is that so? Her Highness doesn't have a son." _

_"She does too!" Tai Shan told the boy. Who did he think he was? He was a prince of the Fire Nation and yet they spoke to him as if he was nothing. _

_"Liar," the boy taunted. "Who's your daddy then?" _

_Tai Shan blinked, "Huh...?" _

"Her Highness isn't married, she couldn't have had a son. You're an impostor." 

_"Stop it," the girl told the boys. She spoke to her cousin, "Don't speak to His Highness like that!" then she whispered to him, "He could have you killed if he wished; and you forget, Princess Azula wouldn't dare hesitate to bring you down, if she thinks you're being mean to her son! I mean come on, she brought Ba Sing Se down, something the Fire Lord couldn't even do!" _

_Realization hit and he looked at the prince, bowing. "I'm sorry." _

From then on, the boy was somewhat afraid of him. He began to compliment Tai Shan on the most oddest things, and the prince was placed on a pedestal. It soon became lonely, and the boy knew they didn't really accept him, as a _friend._ It was all fake, and he didn't want to be a part of that. They were mean, and his family told him to never be mean.

He never did question about his father because, frankly at that age he didn't care. His mother was enough for him.

He walked over to his mother's chamber, but when he arrived he saw her wistfully looking out the window. For the first time in his life, that he could remember, he saw his beautiful and strong mother, crying.

He never wanted to see that again, and so he did everything to please her.

* * *

**A/N: **As for Azula's age, if I haven't said it yet she is between Sokka and Katara's age because the creators said that Azula was around Sokka's age, but then her profile says she's fourteen so I made her fourteen but a bit closer to Sokka's age. There's also another reason I made her a bit older, which will be revealed in the next chapter. The last part with Tai Shan was supposed to show why he is the way he is...but I don't think I did very well on explaining why he's not social and so on. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes: **I was re-reading this and I feel like deleting and starting all over again. But I know if I do that, I most likely won't post the new and hopefully improved version of it. So yeah...anyways I'll try to avoid the agonizing and unnecessary prolonging of drama and angst fest.

**Warning:** Language, out-of-characterness.

**Disclaimer: **Avatar is not mine.

* * *

It was late, and everyone was most likely asleep but Azula couldn't sleep. She walked outside to the garden, her steps were quiet as to not wake the annoying turtle ducks. She sighed as she looked up at the sky and remembered a time in place far away--long passed. During times such as these when she couldn't sleep, she would look outside staring at the sky. There are times when she would find herself crying because the stars reminded her of _him_ and their times together, that was long gone. Her thoughts were of what was; and what could have been, and in the end she would hate herself for being so weak. 

Sokka however did leave pieces of himself with her, before leaving and opening her eyes to how marvelous the stars were was one of them.

"Hey," a familiar voice called out quietly to her, and the princess turned around to confirm the owner of the voice. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Sokka," she acknowledged with a nod. "I was actually going to take my leave and retire, so if you'd please excuse me--"

"If you don't want to be around me, all you have to do is say so," he told her. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just thought you could use some company. You don't need to runaway from me."

"I'm not running away," she retorted defensively, "I really was going to leave before you came."

"Liar," he smirked. "You just got here."

Azula frowned and crossed her arms, turning away from him. She had been caught.

"Do you want me to leave or what?" he questioned the difficult woman in front of him. He rubbed the back of his neck, wondering why she was the one having trouble being with him when it was just him who found out she bore his "enemy's" son.

"Do what you please," she snorted. "It's not like I can make you do what you don't want to do."

Sokka smiled, that wasn't entirely true. "Beautiful night isn't it?"

* * *

Azula wondered if the Avatar would ever leave her alone. The young man looked at her and told her, "You have to tell him. It's killing him." 

"It's not my fault he jumped into conclusions," Azula retorted. "I never really did say Hahn was the father, if I recall he automatically assumed that Hahn was the father."

Several years ago Azula had to go to the Northern Water Tribe for a peace treaty, and Hahn did nothing but hit on her. She became tired of him and led him on, a plan in mind. She made the arrogant bastard believe that she would sleep with him, even allowing herself into his home. When he left the room, Azula placed something in his drink that caused someone to be knocked out. Hahn returned and they toasted and soon afterward the young teenager fell asleep, allowing Azula to slip away. Hahn would always fool himself into thinking he bedded the princess of the Fire Nation--because that's the kind of man he was. In truth, Azula thought about it but wounds were still fresh from when Sokka left her.

She couldn't go through with it for several reasons: first and foremost, she still loved Sokka; second Hahn was a jerk; and third, she didn't want to be like Princess Yue. She knew about Sokka and Princess Yue of course, Sokka being the type that had to be honest to his lover. She refused to be another prize.

"That's no excuse--"

"Avatar if your best friend chooses to believe that I slept with Hahn, allow it. This is my decision, it's my life and he is no longer entitled to what I do and don't do. We are nothing to one another. Besides, Avatar mind your own business, you have your own problems."

The teenager looked at her with puzzlement, "What do you mean?"

"Toph," she began her sentence carefully, "has she not been acting strange?"

"It's because of you she's acting strange," Aang said defensively.

"Is it now?" the princess smiled that smile, that meant she knew something he didn't.

* * *

Azula huffed, "I didn't notice." 

"Sure you didn't. Why else would you be out here?" Sokka replied with a chuckle.

Damn it. Caught again. What the hell was he doing here anyways? Azula finally turned to look at him, "Fine. I came out here to get some fresh air, okay?"

"I forgive you," he suddenly said seriously.

_Forgave me for what_, the princess asked herself silently, _for lying about how beautiful the night was?_

"I forgive you," he repeated, "for sleeping with Hahn."

Azula didn't what to feel, elated that he had such a good heart? Or furious because he was such a dumbass? "Sokka goodnight," she turned around to leave only to be held back by him holding her wrist.

"Say something..."

Azula's patience with her former lover was beginning to fade as she glared at him. "Say what?"

"Say that you don't love him...say that you never loved him."

"Then what? Is this how you're going to forgive me? As long as I tell you that that one night with him was absolutely meaningless, then you're going to forgive me?" Azula questioned.

"No, I'd still forgive you," Sokka answered his princess truthfully.

Azula wanted to ask him why would he do such a thing? Why would he forgive her for being a mother to another man's child when he couldn't even forgive her betraying them? "Goodnight Sokka," she bit out angrily, pulling her wrist away from his grip and storming back inside.

* * *

"The fact that he still loves you despite that he believes you bore another man's child---a man whom he's hated since he was fifteen; and adoring that child, says a lot about Sokka," Toph told Azula. "It's rare to find someone like that." 

"I didn't think you would talk to me," Azula retorted, wondering why Toph was here.

"I'm not scared of you Princess," the Bei Fong heiress informed her.

Azula looked outside, "No. You're just angry."

"And you lie too much. Don't you think, after proving himself, that he deserves to know the truth?"

"The truth of Hahn not being the father?" By the Spirits would they ever let her rest about this thing with Hahn?! The Avatar had been talking to her that morning about this; and now, Toph's talking to her--and it just reached midday!

"The truth of who exactly the father is."

"What are you going to do? Tell him who the father of my baby is?" Azula laughed. No one knew who the father was, and she would keep it that way.

"Of course. You underestimate me too much Azula. I'm only physically blind," Toph chided the woman who was once a good friend of hers. "Always has been, always will be, the father of your child..."

* * *

Aang, with Momo on his shoulder, followed swiftly after his agitated friend, wondering what had gotten into him. He asked several times to receive no answers and quiet murmurs he could hardly make out. He wondered where Toph was when he needed her. Sokka had been hunting down Azula and clutching a scroll in his hand. He was intensely asking everyone and anyone where the princess was that it caught the curiosity of the royal family and friends. 

They reached the destination given to them by one of the princess' handmaidens, Azula's bedroom. They could hear Toph and Azula conversing intensely--but Sokka would not be swayed because whatever they were talking about right at that moment, wasn't anymore important than what he had to say to his former lover. What he had to ask her was top priority in his eyes.

Earlier he found a letter, addressed to him. The odd thing was that the letter was dated several years ago, but he never got it meaning it was never sent. It was just lying there on the bed in the room he was given while his stay at the Fire Nation.

To be precise, the date was several months after his departure from the Fire Nation after the war seven years ago. He unrolled it and eagerly read it after he recognized the handwriting.

_Dearest Sokka, _it started out with. His heart soared at that, because it meant that after several months since his relationship ended with the princess she still thought of him in that way. He wasn't alone in still being in love with someone he knew wasn't good for him. The letter unsurprisingly got straight to the point.

_Dearest Sokka, _

_If you are receiving this letter then it means I have passed on. I write this letter to you to tell you that yes I lied about being an ally to you and your friends; however I didn't plan on falling in love with you. I want you to know that even though I tried to make it clear before. Believe it or not, I didn't plan on falling for you and becoming fond of your little gang. When I said I loved you, I meant it. When I gave myself to you, my participation wasn't out of duty or a malicious intent. I just wanted to make it clear that I did--that I do---and that I will always love you. You're the only man who I fell in love with; the only one who showed me another world. The only man, who is not of my blood, that I have loved. _

_Another reason I write this is because, while I'm writing this, I am with child. This letter was given to you incase I died due to childbirth or something related to it. The child is yours, and whether you believe it or not I don't care. However I swear on my father's grave that the child is yours and only yours. You needn't worry about him or her because he or she will be well-provided for as long as he lives. I am a princess after all, so money and what not are not a problem. What you do with this information, is up to you. If you choose to make yourself known to the child, then that's your choice; and if you choose to take him, as is your right I understand, then go right ahead. I only wish that you allow--no I command that you allow him to know his mother and his mother's family. He is to know them well, you got that? If you denounce him or relinquish your rights as a father to the child, that is fine. My family will take good care of him--or her. So you are in no pressure to "do the right thing." _

_I will not apologize for what I did, because it was my duty; but I will apologize for hurting you and misleading you. And I never apologize, remember that. _

_Always, _

_Azula _

* * *

"Sokka. How did you know it was him?" Azula questioned, knowing it was futile to hide it any longer. 

"You two can't keep your hands off each other, especially at night," Toph blushed with embarrassment. "I'm a light sleeper for crying out loud."

Azula was at a loss for words at the earthbending master's last comment. She looked away pouting and shocked, as well as embarrassed! "That doesn't mean that Sokka is automatically the father!"

"You're too high and mighty to let just anyone touch you. Especially scum like that Hahn person."

Azula frowned, pouting as she told her former friend, "Even I didn't know I was pregnant back then."

Toph laughed, "Good guess wasn't it?"

Azula looked at the young woman in front of him, "'Guess'?! You mean you guessed?!"

"Yeah...I mean I had a feeling it was him, but I wasn't sure. I couldn't really be presumtuous about this kind of stuff," Toph laughed. By then Azula was fuming with rage, and she had to stop herself (with much effort) from strangling the life out of the earthbender.

"How long have you known?"

"Not long," she replied. "But I knew something was up when Sokka said Hahn was the father."

"It could've been someone else that no one knew about," Azula told her.

"I thought about that too, however who in their right mind would engage themselves in a relationship with you? And those who did, you wouldn't dare let them. Also, you just made it so easy when I said Sokka's name," Toph chuckled. "I'm surprise you didn't put up more of a fight princess."

Just then Sokka came in and interrupted the two. His eyes were filled with rage and while he spoke to Toph, his eyes never left Azula's. "Can you all leave the two of us for a moment? I need to speak to Azula alone." His voice held no room for arguments or even questions, that the hurriedly complied rushing out of the princess' chambers and shutting the door behind them.

Azula titled her head and playfully pouted, "What's the matter now?"

"What's the meaning of this?" he threw the parchment at her. The princess wasn't pleased with his behavior, but examined the scroll. Her eyes for a moment bulged in shock, recognizing the letter she wrote a long time ago. She brought her head up to meet his gaze.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Yep, you finally find out who the father of Tai Shan is. What a relief right? And Toph knowing, well I always wanted her to know the truth but to also wait around in hopes of things resolving themselves. I hope the scene that happened during the night wasn't too confusing. I wanted to establish that the night Tai Shan saw his mother crying was because she was remembering Sokka, and that's why she was really crying. Also the night scene did happen the night before Azula talked to Aang in this chapter, but I decided to cut that because going straight to Azula and Toph in this chapter didn't feel right, so I had to cut the night scene in half. However they're a whole scene, and it did happen the night before the talk between Aang and Azula; Azula and Toph; and Sokka finding out the truth in this chapter.

Azula's letter was OOC I know, but writing a letter from Azula that is supposed to have her last words and wishes to the man she loves is hard for me. I mean writing Azula in love is hard as it is. Hehee. Don't you think?

As for when the next chapter will be out? I have no idea. I'm so so sorry! I really should just stick to oneshots because I'm horrible at multi-chapter fics. I only have a little bit of the next chapter written.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warnings: **References to sex (not graphic if at all); out-of-characterness

**Disclaimer: **Avatar the Last Airbender. Not Mine. Never will be.

* * *

"How...how did you find this?" Azula asked the man in front of her. The man who she once fell in love with, the man who was the father of her child. The letter which was thought to be lost forever was right there in front of her.

_"Ty Lee," the princess called out. "If something happens to me, you're to send that letter to Sokka." _

_"Don't talk like that Azula," the brunette told her, "you're going to be fine and so is the baby." _

_"Ty Lee I mean it," she was in labor and she needed Ty Lee do this for her. _

_"I will. I promise you." The woman then looked at the second sealed scroll. "What about this one?" _

_"That's for the baby, when the child is of age." _

Sokka looked at her, "It was in my bedroom."

"Well it's not true--"

"The hell it isn't," he retorted harshly. "I'm Tai Shan's father!"

Just then the door to the princess' room barged open, it became apparent to Azula and Sokka that everyone had been eavesdropping from behind. It all happened so fast and it was quite a surprise to everyone. The Fire Lord's heir swiftly walked up to the Southern Water Tribe Chief's son and took a swing at him, hitting him on the jaw.

Mai, who rarely raised her voice, questioned her husband. "Zuko what are you doing?!"

Zuko ignored her though, "You bastard! I ought to kill you!" He pinned Sokka against the wall, holding him by the neck with his forearm, ready to suffocate him. Sokka struggled to breath, but not really fighting him. "Do you know what she went through?!"

"I would've never left if I had known!" Sokka retorted. Katara began to walk toward the two men to help her brother, only to be stopped by Aang shaking his head conveying that they shouldn't interfere yet.

"Zuko let him go now!" Azula finally stepped in between her former love and her older brother, pushing them apart from one another however Zuko wasn't finished as he grabbed Sokka by the collar of his shirt, ready to take another swing at him.

"No!" he yelled. Azula huffed, annoyed that the boy still couldn't control his temper.

"Zuko! This is _my_ fight, not _yours_! This is between me and him!" she reminded him. "Besides, you don't want the Water Tribe after you for the murder of the Chief Hakoda's only son and first born, do you?"

The Crown Prince of the Fire Nation had no choice but to grant his little sister's wish. "This isn't finished," Zuko told Sokka before exiting followed by his wife.

"Sokka," Katara sighed in relief, knowing that his injuries were minor. Now, though, she had a bone to pick with the prince for striking her brother. She went to him, without being stopped this time, to heal his injuries. Sokka was thankful for his sister's ability to sooth his pained face. That bastard son of Ozai's sure could deliver a punch.

Ursa looked at Azula and then to Sokka. She couldn't help but feel relieved to find out that the father of her grandson was Sokka. Iroh though looked like he already knew this because he didn't look at all surprised by the news. She wondered though why he kept it a secret from her.

Ty Lee had a smile on her face. She hadn't known it was Sokka, but she was relieved to realize that she was wrong and the father really wasn't Hahn. Haru looked dumbfounded.

The Avatar and the Bei Fong heiress seemed to have mixed emotions. Aang was shocked to find out that Sokka was the father; and Toph didn't think that Zuko would go that far. Katara, now knowing she's aunt, stared at Azula with rage.

"If you could please leave us," Sokka told them. Katara looked at him with disbelief, and it was obvious in her eyes that she wasn't going to oblige to his request. "I need to speak to Azula alone."

Toph tugged Katara by the arm, who growled at the princess. Aang, Iroh, Ursa, Ty Lee, and Haru followed suit.

The room was thick with tension.

Everything made sense now to Sokka. Why Azula couldn't name the child after Ozai or even Azulon; because naming Tai Shan after the former would've most likely angered Ozai's spirit considering he would never accept a descendant of mixed and "inferior" blood, and he himself--after all Sokka didn't want his child to bear the evil man's name, and the same was with Azulon. Sokka's voice was hoarse as he stated to her, "You lied to me." Again. "About everything!"

Azula would not feel guilt for she too was angry, she retorted harshly, "And you didn't have faith in me! You _believed _me when I said I had lovers; you believed it when you thought I _slept _with _Hahn! _Do you really see me that way Sokka? Do you really see me as an immoral woman that gives herself to any man so willingly, so easily?"

"Well I don't know you at all!" Sokka replied.

"No, you don't! I thought you had known me better than that, but you don't!" she screamed at him. Tears streamed down her face. "Who did you think you fell in love with Sokka? Because you certainly didn't fall for me. Because if you thought the woman who you fell in love with would do that, then it wasn't me."

"I didn't think the woman I loved would hide this from me either!" he reminded her, knowing that he hurt her by saying he didn't know her at all. "Why Azula, why did you not tell me?"

"You're the one who left! You're the one who couldn't forgive me, the one who was angry at me, the one who hated me. The one who told me that you didn't want to be with me anymore," she reminded him.

"I would have stayed...had I known..." Sokka told her softly, but still angry. "I would have came back..."

Azula inhaled, "I know...and that's why I couldn't do it. That's exactly why I didn't tell you."

"What?!" Sokka asked furiously.

"I didn't want you to hate me even more than you already did," she began, "you would've hated me more had I told you. You would've resented me--resented _us._ And I couldn't take the chance of you resenting our child."

"I would never," he told her earnestly.

"Why are you so furious when I did you a favor?" she asked. "I set you free from all of this."

"That wasn't right," he told her. "Azula we're getting married."

"No!"

"Yes! It's the right thing to do! For our son!"

She snapped at him, "I gave birth to Tai Shan when I was hadn't even reached the age of 16; I raised him since the day he was born; and for the past seven years he and I have been fine without you and without having to marry! So no, I refuse to marry you!"

"Fine. But I demand that I get joint custody of Tai Shan."

"No!"

"Yes! He's my son too!"

"You will not take my child from me!"

"Don't make me take this up with your uncle."

* * *

"The hell he gets Tai Shan!" Zuko yelled. "Uncle please reconsider! He barely knows the child, and Tai Shan barely knows him! He wasn't even here for anything."

"That wasn't his fault, nephew." Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully, "However we need to see if Tai Shan will be all right with Sokka alone. Because you're right Prince Zuko, Tai Shan barely knows Sokka and vise versa."

Azula stormed out of the room in tears. Her nightmare, her fear of losing her son had come true. She ran to Tai Shan's room, wanting to spend every minute with him possible before he had to leave her.

Ty Lee and Mai came in when Tai Shan fell asleep. Azula was looking far off. She chuckled painfully, "I didn't tell him because I didn't want him to marry me. It was obvious that day he left the Fire Nation seven years ago, he didn't want to be reminded of me. So when I found out, I decided to allow him to remain free."

Ty Lee looked at her friend with sorrowful eyes, "But Azula you could have been a happy family years ago."

"He would have married me," Azula continued, "that's true. But it would have all been out of obligation. He would have hated Tai Shan because he would be the reason Sokka had to remain tied to me."

"You know that's not true. That doofus could never hate Tai Shan," Mai reminded her.

"He would have hated me...he would have had Tai Shan; I would have had Tai Shan...but there would be no Sokka and Azula...We would be a broken family. Parents who didn't talk to one another; parents that hated one another. That's not a life I wanted. I didn't want him to stay because he was obligated; I didn't want him to marry me because he felt like it was an obligation--because it was the right thing to do. If I had told him, there would be no us."

"He's obligated to his child Azula," Mai told her sister-in-law, "And besides, you could have probably worked out a system since you didn't have to marry him back then."

Azula looked at her friends, "Back then, if he had asked me to marry him, I wouldn't have had the strength to say no."

"He loves you," Ty Lee whispered.

She shook her head, holding her sleeping son close to her, "No. How could he love me when he doesn't even know me? I am not the woman he fell in love with."

"Yeah you are," Ty Lee insisted, "He knows you, he's just confused about all of this." Without even having Sokka to vocalize his feelings to tell her this, she knew. His aura gave off a feeling of confusion, but he wasn't utterly lost. After all, he knew what he was getting into when he fell in love with Azula. Someone like Sokka may forgive someone for the past mistakes a person committed, but he never forgot about them. Princess Azula, the daughter of the late Fire Lord Ozai was someone you did not fall for without having an internal battle.

* * *

Katara observed her brother as he kept muttering profanities under his breath. "Sokka would you like some tea?"

"No thanks."

She frowned and planned on saying something to raise his spirits when Toph barged in and said, "Hey! Why so gloomy Snoozles? Congratulations you're a father! And Katara you're an auntie!"

Katara glared at her, for comments such as those, did not belong in a serious situation like these. She was correct though, she was an aunt. Sure Aang and Toph would be an uncle and aunt too, but she's the only one who would earn the respective title by blood. Aang who had followed Toph gave Katara an awkward smile.

"Guys..." Sokka began. He appreciated what his friends were doing for him but he really needed to be alone. Unfortunately for him, the girls wouldn't allow it. Sokka sighed in exasperation however at least Katara hadn't left to attack Azula since it was apparent that she wanted to strangle the princess for this omission. However, Azula's the mother of his child, so sooner or later they would have to resolve their issues.

"What's wrong with you?!" Toph finally yelled to the Avatar's surprise.

Sokka growled, "The woman I love lied to me!"

"What else is new?! So what? Get over it," she told him unkindly. "I mean this is a typical thing when Azula's involved, everyone knows that! Besides she didn't lie to you."

"She kept my son from me," he reminded her. "That's a big deal Toph!"

"Sokka," Aang finally spoke. "What Azula did, again, was wrong. But you get to spend time with Tai Shan. Why are you dwelling on the past when you should be looking forward towards the future?"

"That's right," Toph added. "Good job Twinkle Toes. Meathead you can't mope around forever--get over it. You're starting to act like Katara--"

"Hey! What's that suppose to mean?!" Katara interjected, yelling at her younger friend.

"It means you hold grudges, it means you dwell on the past like your brother's doing right now, it means--"

"I do not hold grudges!"

"Jet--"

"Hey!"

"Zuko--"

"Hey!" Katara growled but she knew that Toph had a point. "And what's wrong with holding onto the past? It's not like I'm allowing it to take over my life!"

"No! But it's taking over your brother's life!"

Sokka stood up and sighed, "Because the past was so much easier, so much simpler. I was a naive fool happily in love with a woman who felt the same way--or so I thought."

Toph wanted terribly to punch the idiot in front of her, only to have Aang prevent her from doing so by placing his hand on her shoulder, calming her. He whispered comforting words to her, leaving her frowning but at ease.

* * *

_The summer would soon be ending, and Sozin's comet would arrive. The Avatar had finally learned all four elements and was ready to face the Fire Lord. Two lovers enjoyed the calm and quiet night alone together. The woman laughed at her man's idiotic joke and he joined in because he was happy that he was able to make her laugh. Their friends didn't appreciate his jokes like she did. Then again, the woman wasn't great at telling jokes herself. So in short, they were both pretty pathetic when it came to telling jokes. _

_Not as horrible as the boy's sister's jokes though. _

_"Azula aren't you cold?" _

_"No," she chuckled. _

_"Well don't you have trouble seeing? There's no moon tonight, and I can barely see!" _

_"Fine," she used her firebending to light a small bonfire for them, since their campsite was a few feet away. "You're such a baby."_

_"Am not."_

_"Are too."_

_"Am not."_

_"Are too."_

_"What makes you then Princess?" _

_"A princess of course," she laughed, and rolled on her back her eyes not leaving his. "No. It just makes me the girl in love with a baby." _

_Sokka, still lying on his stomach, smiled and leaned down to kiss her. Azula closed her eyes and returned the kiss. Afterwards the conversation became more serious. _

_"Are you scared?"_

_"No."_

_"You have faith in him don't you?" Azula smiled._

_"Yeah I do. Aang won't let us down," Sokka smirked. "Don't you have faith in your student?" _

_"Aang will do fine," Azula lied. "As long as he has you, Toph, Katara, Appa, and Momo he has everything." To Azula that was true. _

_"And you," Sokka added. "Something is bothering you though. Is it your father?" _

_"Yes," Azula answered, surprised she gave in so quickly. _

_"He's not worth it Azula. He's the one who abandoned you. He's the one who branded his own daughter a traitor. You don't need him. He's scum." _

_Azula turned her head away, "I guess..." _

_"Hey come on...everything will be fine in the end, you'll see." _

_Azula grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. "Sokka in case we don't make it out of this fight...in case **we** don't survive...I wanna make our last moments together special. This is war, there's no guarantee that we'll both survive or that either of us will survive."_

_"Azula don't talk like that," he sat up and pulled her to him, embracing her. "We'll be okay. We're going to make it through this."_

_They kissed again, but this time it was more passionate and more urgent. Their actions soon led to something more, consummating their relationship. Though that wouldn't be the last time; it was only the first of many before the following week came, when they had to face the Fire Lord, did it cease. _

_Azula believed with all her heart that the Fire Lord would win, therefore knowing her time with Sokka would be short; she believed that the Fire Nation would win and their relationship would cease. However Azula lied to herself and told herself that it was all right, because she was leaving this kind of love for another--for her father. Blood was thicker than water (literally) right? So she gave herself to him, because she wanted to. Before he died, she wanted to give herself to him wholly. Which she did. However things did not turn out as she had planned. _

_"What's the matter Azula? Hoping that Daddy would allow you to keep your boy toy? Does he even know what his princess was doing with a 'lowly peasant' such as myself?" Sokka bit our harshly without restraint or remorse. Azula never hesitated, but this one fight they had, she did. "Did you think that if you win, he'll allow you to keep me as your slave? Hah over my dead body." _

_Those words though stabbed at the heart that everyone thought didn't exist in Azula. She wanted to tell him it wasn't like that, however she was too prideful; and it was a war. Instead Azula smirked, hiding her pain. "Just because I have to kill you, doesn't mean I don't love and respect you. Don't take it too personally. Now die!"_

_"Never say die."_

* * *

"Ty Lee how did he get that scroll?" the princess demanded.

The acrobat answered, "I don't know. I thought it was lost forever. When the doctors told us you would survive, I found the scrolls gone."

"And I forgot about them. I wondered what happened to the other one though."

"The one meant for Tai Shan?"

"Yeah. I wrote it to him in case I died."

* * *

"You've known all along," Ursa accused.

"Nonsense," Iroh told his sister-in-law. "It was only a hunch."

"And you kept silent about this hunch?"

"Of course," the Fire Lord told the dowager princess. "I didn't need another reason for Azula to be angry and to hate me."

"So this was all to save yourself?" she joked.

"Yes," he laughed jokingly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes:** I'm sorry again about last chapter, it's fixed now. For those who have already read it before I deleted it, the only change I made was the ending, so the only thing you have to do is look at the bottom of the last chapter. I feel utterly foolish and embarrassed by that, and thank you for your forgiveness.

Thank you for everyone who has read this and reviewed; it means a lot so please continue to do so.

* * *

"Zuko it's not like Sokka's taking him forever. He'll be back."

"I can't believe Azula's allowing this."

"She has no choice, you know that. It's a direct order from Iroh--not as your uncle, but as our Fire Lord. Azula cannot fight against that."

"What was Uncle Iroh thinking?!"

"He was thinking that a man is willingly to be a father--a good one, therefore deserves a chance."

"Mai..."

"You know maybe we should start a family of our own now. Since you seem to need a child to adore, therefore Sokka has a chance with his child."

"Mai."

"Zuko. Some where deep down Azula knows she can trust Sokka with Tai Shan."

* * *

"I don't understand Mama," Tai Shan explained to his mother. "Why am I leaving the Fire Nation with the Avatar? Did I do something wrong?" The poor child was afraid he had been disowned or exiled, for displeasing his family. His mother chuckled and gave him a smile, in an attempt to reassure him.

"Sokka wishes to spend time with you, like I told you."

The prince understood that, but why? He liked Mister Sokka, a lot, but it didn't make sense to leave the Fire Nation shores for a friend he just met.

His mother continued, "You see. Sokka my son, is actually your father."

* * *

"I promise to have him back before the school year begins, therefore you can spend time with him before he goes to the academy," Sokka reassured the mother of his child. The princess merely glared at him, keeping silent but allowing her eyes to do all the talking. Who could blame her when he was taking away her child right before he had to leave for school. It's only natural to want to spend more time with him before it became time for him to leave. After all, this was all sudden to everyone. The young prince and his mother had no time to prepare. "After that I think we need to work out something with who gets him when during his vacations..."

Toph, a few feet away with Appa and Aang, huffed. "He's making this worst for himself. The idiot."

"Why do you say that?" Katara asked.

"Because he's just rubbing it in. How's he gonna be forgiven if he keeps rubbing salt on her wounds?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "He's the one who needs to be forgiven? She's the incessant, lying scumbag--"

"Enough," Aang interceded. "Sokka although he may be angry at her, still loves her. Not to mention Azula's the mother of his child, so I doubt he's going to allow anyone to talk trash about her." The Avatar looked at his waterbending master, "You have to promise to not talk badly about Azula with Tai Shan around. She's his mother, and well...it's not right to let him hear ugly things about her--especially from you."

"I promise," Katara hissed. "I'll let Sokka do that."

* * *

"When you get back, we'll be waiting kid," he smiled warmly ruffling the boy's hair.

"Yes Uncle Zuko."

"And whenever possible try to give that meathead some trouble will you?"

"Zuko," Mai narrowed her eyes at her husband. "Don't listen to him Tai Shan. You're uncle is a bit under the weather, he doesn't know what he's saying." She silently warned her husband not to be a negative influence on the child before returning her attention toward her nephew. "Enjoy seeing the world. It's very different from here."

"Yes Auntie," Tai Shan bowed.

The Fire Lord started to tear up and sighed. "Aw Zuko, when will you and Mai have kids already? Tai Shan needs a cousin."

"Uncle not in front of everyone!" Zuko growled, only to be waved off as Iroh kneeled down.

"My dear boy, don't forget your Uncle now all right?" the jolly old man embraced the boy.

Tai Shan laughed, "Never! I could never forget you Uncle."

"I sure hope so my nephew, even when you meet some lucky girl while on your journey."

Tai Shan looked down, blushing and kept silent. Iroh laughed, realizing he caused his niece's son to be embarrassed.

"Grandson," Ursa smiled. "We'll miss you. The palace will seem so empty without you."

"Grandmother I..."

"But don't worry you won't be gone too long! Just do me a favor, all right?"

"All right..."

"Have fun and don't be sad because soon you're going to be back home."

"Yes," he nodded his head. It was going to be difficult not to be sad, since he was going to be away from his family for a while, but he would try.

Finally his mother came to him and kneeled down, embracing him tightly because it would be a long time before she would see him again. "Do me proud Tai Shan, like you always do. And behave yourself with Sokka and everyone else."

"Yes Mama," he answered obediently.

"I love you," she kissed him on his forehead.

"I love you too Mama," he began to cry.

* * *

"Dai Li," the woman called out in a hushed whisper. "Follow them but make sure your presence is not known to them--especially to the Avatar and Earthbender. Your job is to make sure my son is safe--at all cost."

"Yes Princess, as you wish."

* * *

**A/N: **Just to make this clear. This is AU taking place sometime after season 2; Zuko never betrayed his father nor did he join the Avatar's gang; and some of the Dai Li have remained loyal to Azula even after all these years.

Short chapter, I know. Don't be surprised if this becomes normal. Also when you're wondering when the new update will be, just check my profile.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes:** I have to admit, I was ready to give up on this--but your reviews make it so hard for me to do so. Thank you SO much everyone. If it weren't for you, I would have no incentive to write the next chapter. And now I present you with Chapter Nine.

* * *

"Well she's keeping herself busy isn't she?" Mai pointed out to her joyous friend. Her sister-in-law had a handful of scrolls with her, reading and writing whatever; and making up plans that she intended to bring forward to the court.

"Azula is just trying to keep her mind preoccupied so she doesn't start thinking about Tai Shan," Ty Lee replied with a smile.

Zuko added, "I don't think it's working too well." Azula had once again painted over her mistake on the parchment due to writing her son's name on it several times subconsciously. His mother next to him chuckled.

* * *

Sokka was really enjoying his time with Tai Shan, and everyone else got along with him and vise versa. They all loved the kid. It had been so easy despite the short amount of time, he was just too sweet. It made his sister murmur once, "Is Azula really his mother? There's just no way."

Toph had laughed, "Maybe he just takes after his father. Could be a reason why the Princess couldn't give him up."

"He's so shy though. Neither Azula or Sokka are that way," Aang pointed out as he fed Momo a berry. Sokka wondered about that too, though. Usually royal families were anything but shy; and considering how foward his mother, and how blunt his father was, why was he so reserved?

He soon received his answer.

"Appa we'll be back. We have to go shopping for supplies so stay here for awhile." Aang fed him an apple before departing with his friends, walking next to Toph.

It wasn't unusual that Tai Shan remained close to Sokka, because he knew him the longest and the best out of everyone in the group. So when Sokka suggested he go play with the rest of the kids since they were going to be there for awhile, he wasn't surprised to see the boy reluctant. He had seen it before after all in the palace. After knowing his son a bit more, he realized he wasn't the snobby type so it perplexed him why his son wouldn't play with children his age. With any children actually.

"What's wrong kiddo? I mean they don't bite." Sokka scratched the back of his head thinking out loud, "Sheesh your mom and her family sure sheltered you a lot. You have no social life. Didn't you play with the other kids of noble families?"

"No..." he answered timidly.

"Have you ever tried?"

Sokka was suddenly shocked to see his son's eyes narrow at him. Tai Shan answered, "Of course I've tried! They're all just fakes. They only want to play with me cuz of who I am. That's pointless. If I want someone who will play with me cuz I tell them to, then I could just order my nurse to do so."

__

Well he certainly has his father's temper,

Sokka wasn't too proud to admit. He was so _defensive_, something Azula hardly was or at least she was more restrained about explaining things, usually allowing her eyes to do the talking. The father, however, also had a feeling that his son's temper wasn't exactly his but his sister's. Sokka patted his head, "Listen son, I guarantee you they won't be like that. This is the Earth Kingdom, they don't know a thing about who you are."

There was a pregnant pause before Tai Shan relented, "If you say so." Sokka made sure his next letter to Azula would ask why their son was choosing to be so distant from his peers.

* * *

"I'm happy to see you back to normal again Toph," Aang commented. He figured it really was because of Azula. He smiled, he hoped one day that would be able to reconcile and regain the friendship they lost.

The Bei Fong heiress blushed but her voice was rough, "Normal? I think you've been getting too much sun Twinkle Toes."

Aang smiled sheepishly and nodded, "All right, whatever you say." He hesitantly reached over and held her hand, to his surprise she didn't pull away.

* * *

Tai Shan felt like a fool at first as the children looked at him with shocked eyes, expressing their concern about him.

"How could you not know this game?"

"Yeah! I mean no matter where you live--it's famous!"

"Have you been living under a rock or something?" one added to which Tai Shan frowned.

"Hey!"

"Come down," the first boy who spoke, placed his arm around Tai Shan. "He's just being a jerk--he always is, don't pay any attention to him."

"Hey!" the "jerk" said defensively.

"Anyways this is how the game goes..."

After being explained how to play the game, the fun began.

* * *

"You were right! They liked me!" Tai Shan said as they departed the town upon the sky bison. The young prince was happy that he actually able to make friends, despite the fact that he didn't reveal his identity to them.

"Of course they did, who in their right mind wouldn't?" Sokka smiled down at his son.

Katara patted his head, "You're adorable."

Tai Shan observed his new found family. His father and his family and compared them to his mother's family. Uncle Aang, whom he had to admit was awesome, was nothing like his Uncle Zuko. Uncle Zuko was funny, while Uncle Aang was fun; but both were very sweet and kind to him. They were total opposites, in his mind, and yet he enjoyed both of their company. Aunt Katara and Aunt Mai probably had nothing in common, other than they were girls. Aunt Mai was quiet, proper, and reserved. Meanwhile, Aunt Katara was not...

As for Aunt Toph, well she was absolutely different than anyone he had ever met. She was everything Aunt Katara and Aunt Mai were not: loud, rough, and blunt. While Uncle was fun--she loved to cause mischief. He could tell that she was the person to go to when you didn't want to be around a "serious" grown-up. He laughed at the thought.

* * *

Ursa observed her daughter longingly. It's been years and yet it would seem their relationship would never be repaired. They were civil to one another but her only daughter refused to open up to her. The widow knew she had a hand in the cold distance between her and her daughter but she couldn't understand why she couldn't get passed Azula's defenses even a little bit. The royal family was a messed up one, Ursa knew, but she hoped that along with the Fire Nation their wounds would heal too.

"Azula," she called out. "You ought to rest. Too much work isn't good for you."

"It's not too much," Azula answered curtly. "It's not even enough."

Ursa smiled, "You'll see him soon enough."

"I know," she replied without looking up from the table full of scrolls. "Is there anything you want? I'm trying to work here."

The senior princess sighed, "No. Nothing at all. I'll leave now."

__

"Why are you so cold to me Azula?" Ursa asked her pregnant daughter. Azula looked at her as she set her cup of tea down, and glared. It was not good to upset a pregnant woman, let alone a pregnant Princess Azula.

"I wonder why," she bit out harshly. "You've been such a perfect mother to me, there's no reason for me to be this way.".

"Azula--"

"How can you expect me to even like you when all you cared for was Zuko? You didn't even bother to bid your daughter farewell the night you disappeared," Azula told her standing up and purposely knocking the cup away, causing the warm liquid inside to splatter all over. Azula stormed off, not allowing her mother to say another word.

* * *

"So where are we going?" Tai Shan asked with a smile as he observed the clouds they were passing by.

"I want you to meet the rest of the family," Sokka told his son.

"There's more?" he asked in a surprised tone.

"Yeah of course," Sokka replied. "You gotta meet your great-grandmother; you're grandfather, and the rest of the tribe." Katara's head turned toward her brother with questioning eyes. Sokka shrugged, knowing that his father and grandmother didn't know about Tai Shan and was dying to know how they would react.

* * *

"Say that again?" Hakoda looked liked he had a stroke.

"Say what?!" Bato's eyes almost popped out of their socket.

Gran Gran looked at Sokka, "How do you know she's not lying?" Sokka couldn't believe his grandmother questioned Azula's claim that Sokka was the father of her child. It wasn't like Kana, was trying to be cynical about it though, she merely suggested it.

"Because Tai Shan's birth was too close after my relationship with Azula ended. I mean...unless...the birth was like premature--I just know Gran Gran! And it's not like Azula rushed to tell me to hurt me or anything. I only found out through a letter that I never got, that she wrote years ago.And she swears on her father's grave!"

"Dad, Gran Gran," Katara looked at her father. "I know you're shocked, but Tai Shan is a very sweet and caring boy. You'd love him."

"So when can we meet him?" Hakoda finally said.

* * *

Tai Shan looked at Aunt Toph and Uncle Aang, as they laughed and picked on each other. It was slightly odd that they were _so_ friendly to one another. It was different from the way Aunt Katara and Aunt Toph were to one another. The young prince didn't have too much time to think about it because he was called by his father. He saw Sokka come and say, "Come down from Appa and meet the rest of your family."

Everyone in the tribe was nervous--and who knew Sokka was already a father? He beat a lot of his older friends to it. Hakoda wondered how is grandson would look--he was very nervous, not to mention the mother of son's child was the infamous Princess of the Fire Nation, Azula. By the Spirits he never actually even met the young woman personally who once captured the heart of his first born.

Sokka gently guided his son forward by his back, "Tai Shan meet the Southern Water Tribe."

Tai Shan took in his surroundings to realize that it was very different from the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. There really was ice everywhere--even their houses were made of ice! He looked at the people staring at him and suddenly felt timid, but he smiled as they started to smile at him. "H-hello."

"And meet your grandfather, Hakoda," Sokka said. The man kneeled down in front of Tai Shan, smiling.

"Nice to meet you."

The boy smiled, "Likewise."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Chapter ten was going well until I got stuck. XD


	10. Chapter 10

********

Author's Notes:

It's summer and depending how things go, my updates may be closer together; but maybe not.

Oh and I received a review a while back noting that Katara's not paired up with anyone. Yes that's true, and I think it will remain that way because someone had once told me they see Katara paired up with too many people in almost every fic they see. Truth be told, I wouldn't know who to pair her up with.

* * *

Weeks passed and Tai Shan seemed to adjust pretty well. Everyone took a liking to him and ensured to make a quiet comment to Sokka and Hakoda that they couldn't believe that the sweet kid really had Azula for a mother (to which Gran Gran agreed). Sokka pouted and replied that she wasn't that bad of a person--and that she was a great mother. Hakoda looked at his son.

"So what's the plan with you two?" he asked. He loved his grandson instantly, and wished that Tai Shan didn't have to go back to the Fire Nation. Kana adored the boy that she spoiled him rotten, telling Hakoda that Tai Shan shouldn't have to go back to the Fire Nation since they lost seven years already. Azula had her turn, Gran Gran had said, it's ours now. Hakoda somewhat agreed, knowing what the princess did was wrong--keeping Tai Shan away from them; not being able to know about his existance. However taking the child away from his mother, would be just as wrong.

Sokka sharpened his boomerang, "I don't know." He looked at his father, wondering if he was going to get a lecture from him about taking responsibility--wasn't he doing that? "I told her that we were getting married, but she refused. She said she had set me free by not telling me." Sokka sighed. "I don't understand her Dad. Why are girls so complicated?"

Hakoda laughed, "I don't know. What exactly did she say to you?"

"That I would have hated her and Tai Shan, had she informed me. She made it seem like she was doing me a favor," Sokka said. "It's like she did this to be spiteful."

"Maybe not," Hakoda answered. "She could have thought that she really was doing you a favor."

"Maybe she was trying to keep him all to herself," Sokka suggested nonchanlantly.

Hakoda smiled, "Maybe. She could have been afraid that you would take Tai Shan away from her afterall."

Sokka dropped his boomerang. That's exactly what he did when he found out, wasn't it?

* * *

Back in the Fire Nation Azula remembered clearly what happened after she woke up to find the Fire Nation defeated and her father dead. Zuko was the first person she saw, he had told her that they were wrong all along--to which she answered back that they weren't. He told her that so many people suffered already, and that it was time to stop it--because even she was hurt by the war. Her brother told her that they had to accept their wrongs and make amends with the rest of the world. She was furious at him at first because Zuko pretty much besmearched their ancestors' names by saying they were wrong--that they had no right, and so on.

__

"Don't fight this Azula," he told her. "Uncle will be the new Fire Lord, and he's trying his hardest to get **us** out of the pickle we made in Ba Sing Se. If you rebel and not concede--then we can't help you. You're either going to end up in prison for the rest of your life or be handed over to the Earth Kingdom." It would be the Avatar who would help her in the end, because the Earth Kingdom did not wish to give any favors to the Dragon of the West whom laid siege to their capital, for 600 days.

Two days passed without seeing or speaking to Sokka. She knew that he was avoiding her as much as she was him. The betrayal stung him, and Azula could not apologize. It was war, everything was fair. It was love, everything was fair. Wasn't it? What would he have done? She knew though, she would be asking too much of him to forgive her. He had done so much for her already, he would never.

"Azula why don't you just go and see him?" Ty Lee told her. "You know you want to!"

"Azula," Uncle Iroh called to her as the girls turned the corner to see the newly crowned Fire Lord standing there. "We need to talk."

It all went downhill soon afterward. When she realized she was pregnant she didn't know what to do. How could she be so careless? She took a vacation (without telling anyone) at Ember Island for awhile, thinking about what to do with her situation. The princess contemplated aborting the child, but in the end she couldn't do it. The child in her womb was a representative of her and Sokka's love for one another; the child was a part of her and Sokka. She didn't want to lose something of his--considering she had already lost him.

The baby was someone she could love unconditionally--someone who she hoped would love her just as much. She would ensure that her child received the mother's love that was denied to her. Clarity within her mind allowed her to return home, to find out that her mother was found. Azula refused to acknowledge Ursa's warmth and happily took the mission of being sent to the Northern Water Tribe. Soon afterwards she contemplated about marriage. She wanted the child to have a father, however she wanted it to be his real father so she later refused--to which Ursa and Iroh respected and granted her requests. She couldn't allow her son to grow up believing someone else was his father, someone who wasn't Sokka. She never did her former lover because she couldn't, and she had so many reasons for it.

* * *

Aang wrapped a blanket around Toph, which she gladly accepted. "I hate coming here sometimes..." she drank the hot tea Katara had given her. "I can't see. And I actually have to wear footwear or my feet freeze."

"Don't worry Toph," Katara sipped her tea. "You'll have someone around to guide you."

The earthbender frowned, "That's the problem Katara. I hate feeling helpless. I hate being the girl my parents think I was."

Aang placed a comforting arm around her, "Don't worry--you got over your fear of flying--well mostly--and you handle it pretty well; it's the same with this place. You'll eventually overcome the obsticle."

"Don't get all gooey on me Twinkle Toes," she joked.

Katara growled and rolled her eyes, "You make me sick." She got up and left the two 19 year olds.

Aang and Toph only shrugged as they asked her, "What?" but she was already far gone for them to receive an answer.

"What's up with Katara?" Aang was baffled.

"Meh, who knows."

* * *

Sokka paced back and forth, his mind plaqued with thoughts of Azula. He loved her, and he wanted to be with her. H fantazied about his life with her and Tai Shan--wanting it so much to be realized. Katara walked over to him and observed Tai Shan playing the children, "He's adapted well here hasn't he?"

"Yeah," Sokka laughed, "I think he's even found himself a girlfriend." The children was playing hide and seek and Tai Shan kept pairing himself off with a young girl. Seeing them hold hands brought a smile to his face.

__

"Don't think we'll go easy on you Tai Shan just cuz your a prince!"

The children had taken a liking to him and acccepted him--something Tai Shan couldn't believe and yet reveled in because he didn't have friends his own age in the Fire Nation. 

Katara playfully elbowed her brother, "Like father like son I suppose."

Sokka grinned, "Well yeah...of course!"

"If he's anything like his father though he's going to stubborn," Katara added.

"That's run throughout his family--our family, Azula's family," Sokka reminded her.

"He'll find someone," Katara seemed to have ignored brother's comment and continued, "that's no good for him." Sokka glared at her.

"Maybe that's what I need. Maybe that's what I'm looking for."

"Indeed."

"Indeed," he repeated.

* * *

The Fire Lord looked that Azula, as she asked him why she was summoned. "I have received news from the Northern Water Tribe."

Ursa, Zuko, and Mai looked at Iroh with curiousity. Azula arched a brow, "Of what?" How did that concern her? She hasn't participated in anything concerning the foreign countries lately.

"Hahn has asked for your hand in marriage."

* * *

Please review.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes: **Thank you all to those who reviewed. You motivated me to update faster considering I was going to wait until next week. Oh and yes I understand there is a lot of angst and drama, but that may change soon...or at least another genre is gonna be added soon temporarily.

* * *

Azula swiftly stood up and loudly said, "What?!"

"It says the Northern Water Tribe approves of this since it would strengthen the ties between their nation and ours," Iroh explained. "He says that he'll happily take the child in, as his--but he says it won't be a problem considering the child is most likely his--"

Azula snatched the letter away from her uncle and read it, "That arrogant imbecile!"

Zuko joined his sister, "There's _no_ way Uncle that she's going to marry that pompous jackass. I don't care if the marriage would strengthen the alliance between our nations." The prince was outraged at Hahn's boldness to even fancy himself with Azula. Who did he think he was? "He only wants Azula for the benefits she comes with."

Azula laughed, "His? Tai Shan his? As if! Didn't you inform everyone Uncle that Tai Shan's father is Sokka?"

"I wasn't aware you wanted it known," Iroh told her.

"Sokka knows now, so what's the point? Leave Hahn to me--I'll write the bastard. And sometime after Tai Shan returns, we'll have a formal party. A formal announcement that introduces him to the world as a prince of the Fire Nation, since he didn't have one when he was born, and at the same time a welcome home party. " she stormed out of the meeting room, but not before adding, "For once I agree with Zuko! As if I would ever marry Hahn of the Northern Water Tribe!"

Ursa looked at her children. She was glad that they relationship was good, even if her relationship with her daughter wasn't. Zuko was finally playing the protective older brother card with Azula; and she for once didn't outright push away.

* * *

_Sokka, _

_What do you mean Tai Shan's too distant with his peers? Maybe it's __**them**__ who are too distant! Did you think about that?! Tai Shan's perfectly fine the way he is--thank you very much! I sure hope you're taking good care of our son! So what did your grandmother and father say when you told them about Tai Shan? How are they taking it? How's Tai Shan? Tell him I send him my love, I think of him often and I miss him. _

_Azula, Princess_

Did she miss _him_? Did she think about him often? Did she love him? Sokka banged his head against the wall, wondering why he even bothered. Why did he continue to indulge in thoughts like those? In addition, if he really really wanted her like he thought he did--and like everyone thought he did, what was he waiting for?

_Idiot_, he told himself. Azula no longer loved him. She had gotten over him and moved on. There was no room in her heart for him anymore.

He should move on too. He should try harder to move on. After all, there was a special someone waiting for him; and it wasn't fair to her.

"Dad!"

Sokka's head turned so swiftly that he had whiplash. He saw Tai Shan running up to him and embracing him warmly. It was the first time that Tai Shan called him "Dad" ever. Sokka wept tears of joy as he placed his arm around Tai Shan.

The boy murmured, "Thank you so much for giving me this."

Sokka smiled, happy to have introduced his son to a new type of life and happiness that the Fire Nation couldn't give to him. "It's nothing son. You deserved it."

* * *

_"Azula why don't you just go and see him?" Ty Lee told her. "You know you want to!" _

_"Azula," Uncle Iroh called to her as the girls turned the corner to see the newly crowned Fire Lord standing there. "We need to talk." _

_Ty Lee smiled for her and excused herself as Azula watched her go. The princess reluctantly went to her uncle. "What is it?" she asked. Maybe he was there to tell her that the Earth Kingdom changed their minds and they wanted her in exchange for an alliance. _

_Surprisingly, however, he asked her about her welfare. She answered that she was well and wondered if he was going to bring the bad news then. They sat down on the lone bench in the hallway. Iroh told her how the war changed people: the Avatar and his friends, Zuko and Mai, and even her. __"Falling in love with someone isn't always going to be easy... Anger... tears... laughter.. It's when you want to be together despite it all. That's when you truly love another. I'm sure of it." _

_Azula's head shot up and she looked at her uncle in disbelief. He was giving _her_ advice, he was helping her, and his words rang true. She stood up and thanked her uncle quickly before running off to find the meathead she was in love with. She found him in the garden. "Sokka," she panted. _

_He looked at her with sad eyes, but his features soon changed into one of indifference. "We need to talk." _

_They did, Azula agreed, but she knew from his expression that it wasn't going to be a happy one--or at least end happily. She was right. She allowed him to talk first and in his speech toward her, he shattered her already broken heart. He told her that he was furious that they were used by her; he was hurt by her actions; and that their relationship couldn't be repaired because of her actions. He couldn't be with her. Azula realized that they couldn't repair their relationship if one was unwilling, so she allowed him his freedom. _

* * *

"Well this is interesting," Aang mused.

"What?" Toph asked. She concluded that he was holding a piece of paper, by the noise it gave off.

* * *

"Well Hahn didn't take the news well," Azula began. "Being rejected, finding out that he never slept with me, and being told that Tai Shan was never his was quite a blow to the boy."

Ty Lee laughed. "Well Hahn seems the type who can't take rejection well anyways Azula."

* * *

Kana placed her great-grandson to sleep, before talking to Sokka. "It's been such a nice day."

"Yeah I suppose so," Sokka fed more wood to the fire.

"He's got to visit more often. I don't want this to be the last time I see him," she told her eldest grandchild.

"No it won't be. I'll make sure of it. I'll talk to Azula," Sokka reassured the elderly woman.

"I would like to meet this young woman some day," she commented that Sokka was surprised. She looked up at him and smiled. "Like you didn't know. Come on, me and your father should meet her. We need to know the woman who gave you such a wonderful son."

He smiled, "I'd like that too. Who knows? Maybe I can ask her to come here one day. Or if you and Dad ever have time, you could go over there."

"She must be something," Kana continued. "For you to be totally enchanted by her even after seven years."

Sokka looked away. "Gran Gran...she doesn't care for me anymore." Hakoda then entered the igloo quietly and sat down in between his mother and son.

"Or maybe she was just a woman with a wounded heart," Kana continued. "After all, you two didn't leave on the best of terms right?" .

"Yeah...so?"

"Did you give her any reason to think that you didn't love her anymore? Maybe she didn't tell you because she was afraid of rejection--maybe she believed that you would forsake them...or maybe she couldn't bear to see you because of what happened during the war. After all, a woman in love doesn't always have the heart to take seeing him after they've broken up," Gran Gran continued.

Sokka looked down. He always thought that his grandmother wouldn't like the thought of him and Azula together, but he was proven wrong. It seemed that his family was all right with whomever he chose as long as he was happy. Unlike with Azula's father, who cared less about what his daughter wanted. Even after Ozai's death, Azula still cared. She was remorseful at the fact that she betrayed her father by falling in love with a Water Tribe peasant--an enemy who best friends with the Avatar and bearing his child.

Azula, no doubt, loved Tai Shan, and would never take back anything she did; but also it seemed she was trying to redeem herself.

It was pointless.

She no longer loved him, and she made it clear that being married to him was the worst idea she could ever go through with.

* * *

"So we're not going to tell him?!" Katara hissed harshly as she read the letter from the Northern Water Tribe over and over again.

"No. I don't think it's a good idea," Aang said. "I'm gonna write a letter to Iroh about it first. "

"And we don't want Meathead to go crazy," Toph explained to her female friend. "Besides, Hahn and Azula? Azula would never agree to it."

* * *

"So where are we going next Dad?" Tai Shan asked as they packed their things to get ready for another journey.

"Kyoshi Island."

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah Sokka's being a stupid, stubborn mule. Oh and the quote that Iroh says in the flashback, "Falling in love with someone isn't always going to be easy... Anger... tears... laughter.. It's when you want to be together despite it all. That's when you truly love another. I'm sure of it," is not mine. I found it on a quote site and it doesn't say who originally said it.

I hope the flashback helps understand why Azula isn't rushing eagerly into Sokka's arms.


	12. Chapter 12

********

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long. Thank you to those who read and reviewed the last chapter.

* * *

Ursa eyed the epitaph of her late husband, her mind in deep thought. She had entered the marriage with Ozai through the arrangements that were made between his parents and her's. No one ever knew that Sozin really betrayed her grandfather--not even Grandmother Ta Min because Sozin fed her lies. Everyone, including the public, thought what pair could be better? The granddaughter of the Avatar Roku and grandson of the Fire Lord Sozin, it was perfect. The nobles sure thought so.

Their failed marriage however was the least of the Dowager Princess' problems.

"You and I weren't great parents. I had hoped to do better but I guess I was no better than you," she told his grave ruefully. "Our daughter's heart is cold toward me." She sighed, "There is one good thing though. There's someone who could make her happy and yet she's being stubborn. I don't know if it's because of your influence Ozai, but she's dedicated herself enough to you. She was the perfect daughter to you and you repaid her with nothing. Our little girl needs to move on with her life. She needs to realize that you felt nothing for her because it's such a shame. You need to let her go."

It was time that he did so.

Ursa wondered if the Spirits even listened to her prayers.

* * *

Tai Shan was sad to leave the Southern Water Tribe, but his dad promised him that he would be back again. The prince only hoped that his mama would allow it. He turned around to see a certain someone walking up to him.

Meanwhile, a few feet away, Aang observed Tai Shan saying goodbye to the girl who seemed to have captured his young heart. "Aww they're so cute," he said with a huge smile on his face.

Toph smirked. "He just told her that he would one day take her to the Fire Nation."

"Toph don't eavesdrop!" Aang told her in a hushed whisper.

"Like you don't want to know what they're saying," Katara interjected with a grin as she fed Momo a berry. "The boy is like his father."

* * *

__

Splash!

Sokka smiled as he saw Tai Shan's eyes bulge in amazement at the jumping elephant koi fish. Earlier they had a close run in with the unagi, and when Sokka went to comfort his son, the prince merely asked if they could ride the serpent. The child was apparently a cery curious and perhaps an adventurous kid. "Aang rode the unagi once, but that was a fluke," Sokka explained. "The unagi isn't something you can really ride big guy."

Tai Shan frowned and continued to take in his surroundings. He noticed that Appa was descending down the little island.

"The Avatar's here!" a villager alerted everyone.

Suki's head swiftly turned to where everyone was pointing. Foam guy joined the cheering before he collapsed with foam in his mouth, and Koko and her friends started giggling. "I wonder how Aangy looks now."

The Kyoshi Warrior's eyes searched for the Boomerang boy--young man. When Appa landed, she didn't even notice a little boy with them because all her focus was on Sokka. She smiled as he embraced her and said his hello and long time no see. When she finally did notice Tai Shan, Suki was puzzled. He was adorable, absolutely cute, and shy to meet her obviously.

"Hey there," she kneeled down and smiled warmly at him. He looked familiar.

She couldn't help but notice Sokka hesitate before he said, "Tai Shan meet my good friend Suki. Suki meet Tai Shan...my son."

Suki's breath was knocked out of her, and she felt like the world started to crumble around her. "Hello Tai Shan," she managed to say. The young woman looked up at Sokka in bewilderment.

* * *

Sokka studied Suki's posture as she walked over to the window that looked over the beach. She had her arms across her chest as she turned around to look him in the eye. "Azula bore you a son?"

"...I wasn't aware of Tai Shan's existance until very recently." Sokka understood that he hurt her, but it wasn't as if he meant to.

"So how do you even know if he's yours?!" she questioned angrily. The woman was infamous for being deceitful and manipulating.

"Suki!" he scolded her.

"Azula? The princess of the Fire Nation? The one who imprisoned me and my friends?" Suki shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't understand how Sokka could fall in love with a woman like her; she couldn't understand how she lost him so easily. Or maybe, he never really loved her. Maybe Sokka never felt the same way she did about him. After all, falling in love with the girl who placed your current girlfriend in jail didn't scream loyalty, devotion, and a proclaimation of love.

He walked over to her and embraced her warmly. "Suki...I never meant for this to happen..." But he wasn't sorry.

Suki hesitantly returned the embrace. "Where are you and her now? Where are _we_ now?" For the past seven years their relationship had been stale and sometimes rocky because of Sokka unwilling to move on from Azula. She was always hoping and waiting that he would finally return to her, but he kept his heart closed off to her--like the first time. The only difference was, Yue was dead and he couldn't be with her unlike with Azula, whom he could mend his relationship with.

* * *

"Mama always says I have to study hard and try my best at everything I do because if Uncle Zuko and Auntie Mai don't give me a cousin, one day I will have to be Fire Lord," Tai Shan finished explaining to Suki after she had asked how he was so smart.

The brown-haired woman laughed, "It's nice to see a young man such as yourself determined in his studies. Not to mention very obedient when it comes to listening to your parents. I'm sure you're intelligence is also passed down, because your father is very smart too." She begrudging added, "As well as your mother."

The young prince beamed, "Really?"

Suki nodded, "I'm sure they're very proud of you."

Tai Shan was very pleased to meet Suki; she was really nice. He couldn't help wonder though why he had this feeling that she was much more than what his dad told him. The feeling he had wasn't negative or anything, but Tai Shan didn't really believe she was _just _a friend to Sokka.

* * *

"Your son is very sweet," Suki told Sokka as she walked inside the room. "I like him."

"Yeah?" Sokka was glad to hear that. If Suki and he were to try to make it work, he would need to know how she felt about his son. He would need for her to be able to grow to love him.

"Yeah," she confirmed.

"Azula raised him well," Sokka explained, admiration and respect obvious in his voice.

Suki found herself looking away with a frown.

* * *

"Come on Twinkle Toes!" Toph yelled. "Give me more of a challenge! You're supposed to be the Avatar!"

They were sparring and Aang wasn't doing too well at breaking her defenses. He looked at her, her hair was free from its usual confines and she was covered in mud, yet she still managed to look pretty. He smirked as he used airbending to bring her form closer to him.

"Hey! Cheap trick! Only _earthbending_ this time remember?" she said unhappily.

Aang wrapped his arms around her, causing Toph to tense up and wonder what the hell he was planning on doing. "How about you and I do something different?"

Toph felt red and fought her hardest to not stutter. "Like what?"

Whatever Aang had in plan, whatever he was going to tell her was cut off when they felt someone's presence coming toward them. Aang and Toph stepped away from each other as Katara's head came into view. "When are we getting out of here?!"

"Why? It's only been three days," Aang informed.

"What's the matter Sugar Queen?" Toph smirked.

"Well while you two are sparring, Koko keeps stalking me and asking me where 'Aangy' is!" Katara gritted her teeth.

Toph smirked, "I could deal with her if you want."

* * *

It's only been three days and Suki could already see it. Earlier that morning when she decided to wake up Sokka from his slumber so he wouldn't oversleep, he had murmured, "Geez 'zula...not everyone rises with the sun. It's still early." The prior nights, whenever they were together it was obvious his mind was elsewhere; and at night he loved gazing at the stars. She had wonder what star gazing meant to him, what memory it held. It was a reminsicent of their younger years when he dealt with losing whomever he lost at the north pole, but stronger. It didn't help that it seemed that he didn't _want_ to let go. Her other Kyoshi Warrior friends didn't know what advice to give her.

Seven years have made Suki more beautiful than she was when she was 15, catching the attention of several admirers endeavoring to court her. Along with her beauty, she had a personality that a lot of people liked. She kept them distant however because she held her hopes up for the guy who held her heart despite that if it weren't for him, she would have gladly went out with some of the men trying to win her affections.

She knew Sokka honestly was trying his hardest, but it was no use. She sighed as she readied herself for what may be one of the hardest and most unpleasant task that she'll have to do. It wasn't something she wanted, but it had to be done. She wanted to make it as painless as she could for the both of them so she would be quick, straight to the point, and tearless.

"I can accept Tai Shan--accept that he is your son with another woman, with her of all people," she began. Sokka looked at her with confused eyes as she suddenly filled the silent air with that kind of comment. "He's a lovable child--absolutely adorable."

"But...?" Sokka mentally slapped himself for what was obvious. Her eyes told her all. She didn't want to be the girl he--or anyone else "settled" for. She deserved more than that. He was being unfair, he knew.

"I never wanted to be with you. I never wanted to fall in love with you but I did. And you're in love with someone else now. So tell me, what am I suppose to do? Beg you to stay with me? Beg you to stay for my sake, tell you that I can make you happier than she ever could? I will never do that. I can never do that...it wouldn't matter because no matter what I say, you've already chosen. You've already decided who would make you happy--and it's not me, no matter how much I try because she already does make you happy--and she wouldn't even have to try." She told him as casually and emotionlessly she could muster.

"Wait--"

"No. I don't want to anymore. Because I keep putting myself in this predicament and I'm tired of it," she said with finality. So much for painless as possible.

"Suki I'm sorry," Sokka told her. "I really am." It's not like he never cared for her, he did. He cared for her in the way he cared for Azula now, _once. _A long time ago.

"I know," she retorted. "It's not your fault. This is life." She shrugged as he gave her a final hug.

* * *

The next morning, Sokka woke up to see only Toph and Aang still asleep. Those two were up pretty late, and he wouldn't be surprised if they only got back recently from whatever they were doing. He rummaged through Aang's personal things looking for his shaving cream, when he felt a piece of paper. Against his better judgement, he read it. He was not pleased.

__

Hahn

and Azula were getting married?! 

Enough fooling around, enough waiting around. He's lost too much time as it was. He had to be serious. He was going to fight for Azula whether she liked it or not. He was going to win her back. The entire situation with Suki, and now Hahn made Sokka realize that if he wanted something, he would have to do something about it.

"Good morning!" Katara sang. The two young ones woke up to Katara's voice, to their annoyance. Katara looked at her brother, "Sokka! What are you doing?"

"What are you all doing keeping this from me!?" he held up the paper from the Northern Water Tribe. "Hahn has asked Azula to marry him?!"

"You should have burned that Twinkle Toes," Toph told her friend.

"Is Azula crazy?! She can't marry him!" Sokka began his tirade. "I have to stop her!"

"Or maybe you should have given it to him sooner," Katara muttered. _Finally_ her brother grew a brain and realized what he wanted.

Aang jumped up and looked through his things. "Sokka it's not what you think. I got a letter from Iroh recently, saying Azula rejected. See?"

Sokka read it and sighed in relief. "Anyways we're going back to the Fire Nation today. Where's Tai Shan?"

"What do you mean?" Katara said. "He was sleeping here when I left."

"He didn't go with you?" Sokka asked. "Where is he?"

"Calm down," Toph tried to settle the urgency and frantic in the room. "Maybe he's playing outside."

"No, I didn't seem him out there with them," Katara explained. Sokka was going out of his mind.

"We're going to search the whole village," he told them.

Aang saw another piece of paper by Sokka's bedsack. "What's that?"

Sokka looked over to where the Avatar pointed and quickly knew that that wasn't there when he went to sleep last night. He picked up the parchment and horror gripped his heart.

__

If you want to know more about Prince Tai Shan's whereabouts, return to the Fire Palace immediately and wait for further instructions.

Sokka cursed mentally before breaking down in sobs.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm having a hard time with the next chapter, so if it takes awhile to update I apologize in advance. For those who need Sokkla, I am working on the Sokkla100 theme and it's up on this site titled "Seasons of Love." You can check it out in my profile. Anyways please review!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Notes:**I'm so sorry! I hadn't realized that a little over a year PASSED since I updated this. I can't believe I really updated this LAST July '08--and it's almost August now of 2009. I have to admit the reason why I stopped writing this was because after the finale--everything came out even MORE out of character. Not to mention, I couldn't get passed Mai and Ty Lee's betrayal of Azula. In addition, Azula went insane...so that didn't help. But here I am back again...although I make no promises to finish this. In fact, this is a test to see if anyone still holds interest in this fanfic. If I can't generate enough interest--or I really can't bring myself to finish this fic--I'll simply just tell you what happens before deleting it.

**Disclaimer:**I still don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender.

* * *

Azula was busy preparing for the party that would be held in Tai Shan's honor. She couldn't wait until her beloved son was returned to her. She also smiled at the thought of Sokka coming back, though quickly berated herself. Things with Sokka and her were so complicated at the moment. He had been willing to marry her and she would have gladly accepted had it not been for the mere reason of making things right. He confused her, and Azula was annoyed at the fact that she could no longer read him. It infuriated her that Sokka apparently did not know her if he truly believed that Hahn was the father and that she had many lovers after him and so on. He couldn't possibly have been in love with the real her, if he thought all these things about her.

"He was just jealous Azula," Iroh's voice broke her reverie. Azula mentally chided herself from not sensing her uncle come in. She refrained from asking how he knew what she was thinking about.

"Excuse me?" she asked characteristically. She tied the banner to the pillar and descended the latter afterwards. Normally she would have had the servants do this--but it was driving her mad to not have Tai Shan around.

The old man chuckled, "A jealous man is never in the right state of mind. They do stupider things than when they're in love."

"How's the invitations coming?" the princess decided to change the subject.

"They're going well," he answered. "The Northern and Southern Water Tribe have accepted. Chief Hakoda and his mother are definitely attending, they said. The only response we're waiting for is the Earth King's."

"I doubt he'll come Uncle," Azula remarked as she straightened an already straight chopstick at a nearby table. "After what you tried to do over a decade ago; and what Zuko and I succeeded in doing seven years ago, it's not surprising he's not too fond of our family."

"I don't think that's it," Iroh rubbed his chin.

"All right, it's me he has a problem with," she smirked. "I _did_ threaten to kill him. An inch away from his temple, he would have been lobotomized."

Iroh looked at his niece, surprised to see the old her in that one line. She turned around to look the elderly man and laughed.

"Come on Uncle. Let me have some fun. Tai Shan's not here, so I don't have to be careful about what I say."

* * *

"Ty Lee," Haru began, "I've received a letter from my father that my mother is sick. I have to go to her."

Ty Lee gazed at him for a moment and then told him, "I'll go with you."

"You don't have to do that," Haru told her. He understood the importance of her being with Azula. He knew that she enjoyed being with them after spending most of the year with him, so he couldn't possibly ask her to come with him.

"I want to," she reminded him, "we're a pair." If he needed her, she'll be there because he would do the same for her.

Haru beamed and embraced her.

* * *

"You have to return for the party, all right?" Azula embraced her friend, as they said their goodbyes.

"No promises, but I'll try." Ty Lee smiled. She could only hope that Haru's mother's condition wasn't fatal.

* * *

The gang quickly left Kyoshi Island that morning. The villagers searched the island everywhere for clues but to no avail. Katara, since her brother couldn't exactly think clearly, deduced a theory that Tai Shan had been abducted sometime after she left Sokka and the boy in the hut sleeping to fetch water. Toph and Aang had been koi fish riding all night and most of dawn, that they were exhausted when they returned to the hut to sleep. Tai Shan was still in his bed next to Sokka when they returned but the two soon fell into a deep sleep that they didn't notice anything afterward. Tai Shan was most likely abducted after the Avatar and Blind Bandit returned and before Sokka woke up.

Sokka dreaded telling Azula. She would be heartbroken. The person or persons responsible would not get away with this. They would all raise hell against the perpetrator.

"I'm sorry Sokka. It's my fault. I convinced Toph to stay up late with me to go for a swim---if we hadn't done that then we wouldn't have been so tired--"

"It's not your fault Aang," Sokka told him.

"Yeah. You only wanted to show me some fun," Toph reminded her bald friend. He had wanted to help her with fear of water. "Besides, there's the fact that Tai Shan's a prince of the Fire Nation. He's third in line to the throne. From what I hear he may even be second since almost everyone's afraid of even passing the throne to Azula."

"There was no ransom," Katara interjected. "Why make us go all the way to the Fire Nation?"

"Maybe the kidnappers are there," Aang guessed.

"We don't have the kind of money they would ask for," Sokka explained. "Azula does. It would also force me to confront Azula about what happened to our son."

"Whoever the bastards are, they're sadists," Toph conveyed. They were obviously trying to devastate Azula. If they wanted only a ransom they could have already contacted them somehow, but they were in it for the long run. They wanted Sokka and everyone else to go to the Fire Nation to tell the mother of her missing child and make her suffer.

* * *

Azula rushed, as she saw the bison flying over the city, outside to greet her darling son only to realize that his presence was missing from the group. She looked at the boy's father questioningly, "Where is my son?" she demanded sharply. He told her as his voice cracked what happened.

* * *

Three days passed since Azula and her family received the news, and within those three days, she had to be sedated several times. The princess felt like she was going to be torn asunder, and she cursed the criminals for what they did to her son. She quickly expelled the dark thought that wondered if this was how the grieving mothers felt when they lost their children in the war. She felt her heart ache when she remembered mocking her uncle for his weakness after her cousin's death. She hated feeling powerless and vulnerable--and unlike her uncle, she would ensure the perpetrators suffered a horrible fate for what they did. No matter who they were, if she had to burn them alive, she would do so.

Despite being sedated, it did not stop Sokka and Azula from fighting. Azula had briefly entertained the idea that Suki may have kidnapped her son in retribution for Azula's past transgressions against her years ago. Sokka attempted to assure her that Suki was not of that nature, but Azula would not listen. She was furious already when she found out that Sokka had taken her son to meet his girlfriend. She told her former lover that people "aren't always what they seem to be!" She added that Tai Shan had no business to see Sokka's girlfriend and that he didn't need to see her. Sokka could not say anything in return sans that Suki and him were over long ago, and he was merely tying up loose ends. "And if Suki and I truly friends...why would she take my son from me? If she wanted me back, why would she do something so stupid like this--because no one in their right mind could fall for someone who did that."

Azula could not help but admit he was right; in addition, Suki utterly had nothing to gain and she would have placed her island under the Fire Nation's wrath. A leader like her isn't stupid--there's no way a small island could stand against the Fire Nation. In the end, she relented. Unfortunately, it did not end there. When Sokka found out that Azula had sent the Dai Li after them to watch over him and Tai Shan. He could not believe that Azula didn't trust him with his own son. The princess bitterly pointed out that her son ended up abducted anyway. She wondered if something happened to the Dai Li because it was strange that they did not show themselves to her after three days. No report, no nothing--who could have defeated so easily?

It was apparent who the felons were after though. Tai Shan was just a means to an end--he was an innocent victim pulled into chaos simply because of who his mother was. They were after Azula, there was no doubt about it. She paced back and forth the garden, wondering when she would receive word from the kidnappers. Iroh's disposition was grim, and he had not touched his tea yet. They were all debating who could possibly be responsible, and the Dai Li were brought up several times however there were others who knew of Tai Shan's relation to the princess. "Azula," the old man called. "The letter you wrote to Sokka long ago, how did it end up in his possession?"

She looked at her uncle, "What? You mean it wasn't you?!"

He shook his head. "It's true I kept the letters but I never divulged the information in them to anyone--not your brother or mother. The day Sokka found out, the letter to him was gone, although your letter to Tai Shan was still there."

"Then that settles it," Toph interjected. "It was the Dai Li. Who else would have access to the Fire Lord's chambers?"

"What would they possibly gain though?" Aang thought out loud.

Sokka restrained himself from yelling at Azula, but he couldn't help but be furious that she trusted them more than she trusted him--and look where it got her? The men she ordered to keep her son safe were the ones responsible for kidnapping him! His eyes wandered to the blue sky where a hawk descended down upon them. It had an Earth Kingdom symbol on it. Iroh carefully took the parchment out of the small wooden container. After reading the letter, his expression became sadder. Ursa urged him to tell them what was in the letter, like everyone, she wanted to know if it was from the Dai Li.

"_In exchange for the young prince of the Fire Nation, Tai Shan, hand over the Princess Azula in his stead. I hereby revoke my clemency toward her crimes against the Earth Kingdom and its King. Failure to cooperate will result in dire consequences_." Iroh looked at the Avatar. "It's signed the _Earth King_."

* * *

**A/N:**If you guys thought I went too fast with the whole Suki/Sokka thing, I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't wanna drag it out. Anyways for those of you who didn't see the outcome of this, please know I had this planned out early in the beginning (it's not out of whim) but I was debating on whether doing it because it would mean the story would be a little longer, something I'm not sure I can see through. So please review!


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Notes:** Thanks for the encouragement and reviews everyone. It really means a lot, and I may just be able to see this thing through. Hopefully this will be finished before the Avatar manga prequel comes out next year. Did you guys hear about that? It supposed to come out a month before the movie. I'm kinda excited, are you? Anyways on with the chapter!

* * *

Everyone warily eyed the Fire Lord. Aang walked over to Iroh and looked over his shoulder to confirm if the seal was genuinely the Earth King's. He frowned, disappointed that the situation came to this.

"He's insane!" Toph exclaimed, flaying her arms in the air.

Zuko concurred, "This calls for war!" He pounded his fist on the table, hard.

Iroh looked at his nephew gravely. "No. Even if the entire nation wished it, we cannot afford to be in a war again. The Fire Nation will surely fall."

Azula gave everyone a look of resolution. "Then it's settle then, turn me over to the Earth King." Before she could give anyone else a chance to reply, she swiftly walked away. However, Sokka would not be cast aside and followed her. He grabbed her by the arm and forced her to turn around and face him.

"What do you think you're doing?!" he dared to yell at her. "You're just going to hand yourself over to him?! What's wrong with you?!"

Azula glared at him, offended. "What's wrong with _you?!?_ This is our son's life on the line! Or have you forgotten? His life is worth than mine!"

"That's not true!" Sokka shook her. "The Azula I knew would have fought back!"

She looked away, and she refused to defend herself because she knew he was right. She would have burned Ba Sing Se--even the entire Earth Kingdom to have her son back. She would not have handed herself over. Seven long years have changed her. "If it had been anyone else but a monarch of a nation...I would have."

"That wouldn't have mattered before!" he harshly pointed out.

"What he's asking is simple: me for our son." Azula pulled herself out of his grip and walked away, leaving Sokka defeated. He turned around to rejoin his friends when he saw Mai standing there in front of him.

Her expression was bored as she asked him, "May we speak for a moment?" He gave her quizzed look; he and Mai barely spoke to one another--she wasn't as approachable as Ty Lee after all.

He nodded, allowing her to lead him to where ever she deemed fit for a private conversation. Mai walked with an air of grace he noticed, and no doubt about it, her upbringing was a contribution. After all, Mai was still nobility. Although Azula's walk stood out to him more in that she walked with not only an air of grace--but authority and her hips swayed like a temptress.

He banished those thoughts from his mind when he was reminded that his son was missing, and the woman he loved was willingly walking into the dragon's nest. Sokka found himself in a small room where a couch and table stood in the middle.

Without preamble, Mai stated, "Tai Shan is Azula's life."

He growled in frustration for Mai pointing out the obvious and sat down on the couch. "I know that. And he's been mine since he came into my life."

Mai sat down across from him. "Really? Obviously not."

He glared at her. "What are you talking about? I would give my life for that boy!"

"Yes," she continued to look unfazed by his growing irritation. "But not enough to sacrifice Azula's life. So it's apparent that Tai Shan _alone _isn't your life."

Sokka bit his tongue. He didn't feel the need to point out that his love for Tai Shan and Azula were like apples and oranges. He didn't want to live in a world without either of them. Humans need both water and air to live, just like he needed Azula and Tai Shan in the world alive and well for him to be okay--even if it meant he couldn't be with them.

"But you're failing to see things her way," Mai sighed, seemingly exhausted at trying to spell "obvious" things out. "If you were in her situation--you would gladly lay down your life for your son, even though there was your grandmother, father, and sister to worry about--maybe even Azula."

Sokka frowned thinking, for someone who sported a bored look everyday and spoke very little--she sure was wise.

"That's how Azula feels," Mai concluded. "She almost died bringing Tai Shan into this world--and she would be damned if she allowed her son to die because of her."

Sokka felt like he had been struck. A horrible, dark feeling consumed him--the idea that Azula could have died giving birth to his son, and he wouldn't have been there with her-; the feeling that she could have left the world of the living and he would have never found out; the feeling that she could have died and her last memories of him were of him being furious with her. "W-what?" he choked out. By the time he was able to speak, the consort princess was headed out the door.

The young woman halted and turned her head toward him, giving him a sympathetic look. "It had been a difficult pregnancy...the doctors weren't sure that she would pull through, hence the letters she wrote in case it came to that."

His blue eyes stayed glued to the floor. He was a failure in many ways: as a protector, as a father, as a warrior...the list seemed to add on and on.

* * *

"Not my concern?" Aang gave the letter a second look.

Toph huffed furiously, "The hell it isn't!" The Bei Fong heiress couldn't believe what she heard when Aang read the letter out loud from the Earth King. He demanded that the Avatar stay out of his current conflict with Princess Azula because it wasn't his concern.

"Peace between the nations is my concern," Aang pointed out as he grabbed an ink pen and dabbed it in the black liquid next to his parchment. "This isn't like the Earth King at all."

Katara frowned, agreeing with the Avatar. She bit lip in worry wondering what could have possessed the king to take this route. He certainly didn't favor Azula in anyway, but he was not the type to involve a child. She noticed that Sokka and Azula were gone for a long time, and she could only hope that they weren't quarrelling with one another again.

Meanwhile Ursa wanted more than anything to comfort her daughter, but she knew Azula would never accept her--even in grief. She acknowledged that she wronged her daughter, that she did unintentionally play favorites--just as her husband did.

Iroh and Zuko were both devising a plan, when Azula walked in. Sokka followed her shortly. Her eyes were blazing when she told her uncle, "I'm leaving."

"Don't be so hasty!" Zuko yelled. "There could be another way."

"War or retaliation is not an option apparently, so what else is there?" she asked bitterly. To her, waging war was worth getting her son back---but her family thought otherwise. "I'm going and you will not stop me!"

"I'll go too," Sokka said.

"We all will," Katara added, implying herself, Aang, and Toph.

Zuko looked at Mai before saying he would go too. He had to know how the Earth King could go back on his word. He wished that if the other nations knew how the Earth King really was---an untrustworthy man--that they would side with his family and help them retrieve the young prince back. However, Azula was never someone the world favored, and he doubted the other nations would help her.

Everyone went their separate ways to prepare except for Ursa and Iroh, who looked at each other with grave expressions. Ursa tried to hold her calm composure, "I feel so useless. I feel like I'm allowing my daughter to be murdered." The senior princess felt a jab in her heart. Why had she been able to save Zuko from a certain death but not her daughter?

Iroh placed his hand over hers. "I have faith that they can do what we cannot. Don't worry---I'll think of something."

* * *

"What's the plan?" Toph asked as she walked down the hall with Katara and Aang.

"We talk to him," Aang answered vaguely.

"We can't just walk in there without a plan," Katara pointed out. "It would seem our childhood luck is running out."

They turned left where they headed outside. They needed to prepare Appa for the long flight--especially since they were going with a big group.

"Talking to him is a plan," Aang said, convincing himself rather than her. He exhaled, tired and lost. He felt like he was fighting an endless war, and it didn't help that his friends were always getting hurt. When Aang lost Appa, he was devastated--he could only imagine how Sokka felt.

"That's not a plan!" Katara's voice rose. "What if that doesn't work? What if he doesn't hear us out? You can't possibly mean that you have no backups."

"I'm still thinking," he told her. He studied the saddle and became skeptical that it could hold all of them. Additionally, Appa tired easily when there was added weight, and it was imperative that they arrived in Ba Sing Se as soon as possible. Coincidentally, Sokka joined them and told them that Azula and Zuko were going to use a zeppelin. Although Sokka did not voice that it was a wise decision on the prince and princess's behalf. Zeppelins didn't need to rest like Appa did and could go on all night--as long as someone piloted it.

"Good," Katara bitterly spat. "We don't want her with us anyway. She's nothing but--"

"Katara," Sokka warned. It wasn't the time for her to voice out her grudge against Azula.

"Maybe you and Toph should ride in the zeppelin," Aang said kindly. While Toph remained a poker face, Katara fumed. He tried to reason with them, "If we do fight, it would do us no good having allies not trusting each other. The enemies will use that against us, it's a weakness. You two need to at least learn to be civil toward Azula--that way you can fight competently side by side."

"Hey this goes both ways Aang!" Katara yelled. "It's not like Azula--"

"Enough," Aang rubbed his temples. He looked to Toph who he hoped would be more compliant in his request, but Toph was never the type to do something she didn't want to do. He knew that she knew that he merely wanted to help her, but in the end, it was Toph who would decide if she would take it or not. "I know it's not easy, but don't you believe in second chances? The Fire Lord got a second chance and look at him now? He's a great man."

"Give second chances, Aang, not third chances. I'm tired of giving chances to people like them--they don't deserve it!" Katara would not relent. She had reached out to Zuko in Ba Sing Se, and in the end he assisted his sister in taking over; she gave Azula a chance, and she ended up playing them like fools and hurting Sokka. It was easier to accept that those two were a lost cause.

Sokka glared at his sister. He loved her, but this was unacceptable. "She just lost her son! This isn't the time to be petty!"

Katara flinched back, startled by her brother's cold voice. She doesn't recall Sokka ever yelling at her like that before. She looked away, afraid to admit that she was wrong. Her brother and Azula's son were missing, and now's not the time to be cruel toward the mother. She couldn't possibly know how her brother and Azula were feeling at the moment, and it would be best if she kept her mouth shut.

"Take Aang's suggestion," Sokka bit out.

Toph was always the level headed one and the reasonable one. She faced Sokka's direction, "Will do Meathead. Sweetness and I will give you and Aang your 'guy time.' It's been a while after all." She placed her arm on Katara's shoulders and pushed her away from Aang and Sokka.

* * *

"I'm going too," Mai told her husband.

"No," he replied.

"Yes," she voiced with determination. "I am."

He looked back at her and stopped everything he was doing to walk toward her. He placed his hands on her and gave her a pleading look. Usually he would give anything she asked of him, but this time he would have to step his foot down--and although that never stopped her before--he hoped this time it would. "No Mai, I can't risk it."

"_You_ aren't risking anything--_I_ am," she replied. She knew she was giving Zuko a hard time, but she refused to stand by the sidelines and do nothing. Whether he liked it or not, they were in together---until death parted them. When they married, they made that promise to each other. "Just because I'm your wife, Zuko, doesn't mean I've gone soft. I can take care of myself--without your help."

"I know that," he said exasperatedly. "I have no doubt about that. But think of the baby." He brought his hand to her flat stomach where he knew in a few months he would either have a boy or a girl.

"I can take care of it---"

"Mai please," he kissed her softly on her forehead. "I need you to stay here. I need to make sure you're safe--I can't be worrying about you."

"Then promise you'll come back." Mai realized it was futile arguing with him, and he was right---it was risky and she didn't want to do anything that may harm her unborn child. Therefore, she made him bargain because it was the only thing she could do to ease the dread of being left behind and wondering endlessly if Zuko was going to be all right. She hoped that he would come back to her, and they could finally made it known to their family, friends, and the country that they were going to have a child.

Making a promise he couldn't keep wasn't appealing, especially a promise to his wife. He had failed so many people in his life: his parents, his uncle, and his sister--he didn't want to add Mai and the child onto the list. However, it was apparent that she needed some form of comfort. However, because he couldn't bring himself to voice the promise, he nodded his head instead.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Reviews, encouragements, and critics are always welcomed! Anyway, I tried to make this as long as possible but I find I couldn't, so I hope that five pages are okay for now. For updates and fanfic information, the top of my profile is where to go. I usually update it after updating a fic of mine.


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Notes: I'm so so sorry, and to make it worse this chapter will not make it up. More at the end.

* * *

Prince Tai Shan woke up with a dull headache. He observed his surroundings and was horrified to find himself in a dinky metal cell. He wondered what had he done wrong to deserve this. "H-hello?" he cried out, hoping to get some answers. Where was his dad? What was going on?

"Hello?" a male voice returned. He sounded like he was in the next room.

"W-who are you? Where am I? What am I doing here?" the young prince tried not to sound panicked. However, even seven year olds were allowed to be scared.

"I don't know why you're here," the stranger answered sympathetically. "But you're in the cells of the palace."

"What palace?" Tai Shan demanded. He doubted that he was back in the Fire Nation. His mother would never allow this, let alone the Fire Lord.

Someone had opened the door and walked through it. It was a man who wore a muschtache and a long braid. His garment was green. "The Earth Kingdom palace," the man answered the question Tai Shan already knew the answer to. "Welcome Prince."

There was no point in hiding his identity now, Tai Shan thought. "Why am I here?" He stood up and clenched his hands into a fist, glaring at the man before him.

"If all goes well, you won't be here for long," the man said nonchalantly.

"You didn't answer my question," Tai Shan hated the sound of his voice. He didn't sound confident enough.

"You're just like your parents. In fact, that's why you're here. The sins of the mother, in this case, is the sins of the son."

Tai Shan's eyes narrowed at the thought of his mother being threatened. He lunged toward his captor and kicked him in the knee and pulled his hair before running toward the door. An unexpected man blocked his way though. He wore a pointed hat and what looked like a green uniform. The man extended his hands and rock gloves caught the young prince. Before Tai Shan could thrash around in an attempt to escape, he felt a horrible pain at the back of his head.

"Insolent child," the braided man muttered, before he and the other man walked out the cell; the bang of the door closing rung loudly in Tai Shan's ears.

"Are you all right?" the stranger from before asked.

"Yes," he lied through his teeth. "Who is he anyway? And what does he want with my mother?"

"I don't know. Who is your mother?"

He knew it was pointless since the braided man already called him "Prince." While it wasn't said loudly, it wasn't exactly quiet either. "Princess Azula of the Fire Nation."

"Oh."

Tai Shan didn't like the sound of the man's voice. It was very obvious that the man next door knew exactly why the man who abducted him wanted his mother. The young prince wanted answers.

* * *

Author's Notes: I've tried guys, I really have. At first I stopped writing because of real life but then after awhile, after rereading this-I went, "I can't believe I wrote this." The OOCness bothers me, and while I did intend for the fic to become more action orientated now they're out of the palace, the melodrama bothers me nonetheless. I've sort of come to...dislike this fanfic.

However I am aware that a lot of people have added this to their favorites or who follow it, so I cannot bring myself to delete the fanfic. So I don't know if I should put this on a temp. hiatus and finish it someday or just tell you guys what was supposed to happen.


End file.
